The XMen Revisited
by ncsgirl
Summary: The second fic I've put up. This one is the X-Men this time, not Excalibur in disguise :-) Warning FF slash
1. Uhoh

So here's fic number two. Sorry I don't post so often, but I have a dad who is a computer tech. The hard drive and my disks suffer for it. Anyway, this is an X-Men fic inspired by my friend and it ties into the other fic I have. It's set just after Talia and Kurt leave to go across the pond. Oh and of course, flames are given to my muse Nightcrawler who uses them for fencing practice.  
  
Something that wanted to be a disclaimer, but didn't really work: Children mine, parents Marvels. No suing.  
  
"Our leaders gone and we don't get a break?" Chris asked, hands on his hips and snide as ever. "No," said our deputy, Tom. He and Chris were almost always head to head. Tom was Warren and Betsy's son and Chris was Scott and Jean's second. I think. Both wanted to lead. "Uh, have y'all noticed you'ah being childish?" Marie asked them. She was Rogue's daughter, but we had no idea who her father might have been. All we knew was it wasn't Gambit. "Guys," I said. They looked at me. "Shut up." I am, by the way, Calisto. Don't ask. I'm the only real enigma the X-Men have right now. No parents and no life previous. Professer Summers says I act too much like Logan. I say he's an idiot, but he replies telling me that's a bad thing and one more strike against me. "Sorry Cal," they said simultaneously and both just as meekly. "Okay, you boys need to settle your differences or we'll end up weeding the lawn or something." The final member of our team, except for Talia who had gone and left us to see Brittany, Mikhael said. He was Talia's twin brother and they couldn't be more different. He was studious and religous and she was a wild one. She was also my best friend. "As in, if y'all don't get to it, Ah'm gonna come down there and toss y'all into the Danger Room in the Amazon Ruin." Rogue said from behind us. Chris and Tom jumped half a foot in the air. "It was him!" they exclaimed, pointing at each other. "Cal, take Mikhael an' Marie some where else. Ah'm gonna have a chat with these two." She said glaring at Tom and Chris. "Gotcha." I said. The three of us went out to the kitchen looking for breakfast. "So Mikheal," I asked rumaging in the fridge, "how did you end up being so up tight with a sister who's so cool?" "I'm not up tight." He replied simply. "You are sugah, but I like you," Marie said putting a hand on his shoulder. He brushed her off. "Would you stop hitting on me?" he asked her. She looked abashed. "Ah was just tryin' to be nice." she barely mumbled. His enhanced hearing picked it up. "I wish you wouldn't. My sister causes me enough trouble." With that he stormed off to be alone with his thoughts. "What's his problem?" I asked.  
  
Well? Okay, I tried. I don't think I'll write Cal to much after this. She's just a bit too much like Wolverine for me to write. As always, my critics decide. Next chapter will be more fun, I promise. By the way, does anyone know how to trap a teleporter? 


	2. A little angst

Okay, I figured it out! Teleporters are only trapable when they can't teleport. I have Shagreens old staff. Perhaps that will work. *laughs maniacally* On with the show.  
  
Note: -thoughts-   
  
-Those two girls. How can they be so... so...- I nearly screamed thinking about it. Sure I liked them both. They, at least, payed some attention to me. Albeit I didn't want any... romantic... attention from either of them. I mean, sure it'd be nice, but I was going to be a priest, not some lackadaisical... Salonlowe! Not like my father. "Mik?" Marie rapped gently on my door, shaking me out of my self pity. "Ah'm sorry Ah upset you. Ah didn't mean to." I got up and opened the door. She had a half eaten granola bar in hand along with a chocolate cookie. "There's milk on the table," she said. I knew right away what she was up to. "What kind of breakfast is that?" I asked, half smiling. "The kind Ah'm havin' since Ah can't cook," she replied. I'm maybe the only one on our team who enjoys cooking. "Well I have to keep you both from straving I suppose." I said following her to the kitchen. "If Talia were here, she'd say it," Cal began, clearing her throat, "It lives." "Ha. Ha. Cal, are you really bent on taking my sister's palce?" I asked, taking a frying pan out from under the cupboard. "Not really. Just filling the void." She replied. "I see sarcasm is wasted on you." I said cracking some eggs into the pan I had put on the stove with my tail. "Always has been," she replied. "Cooking for me too?" "That thought had crossed my mind." I said as the door creaked open. Professer Summers trudged in, sat at the table, head in his hands and mumbled something that could have been a greeting. "Sleep well Professuh?" Marie asked. He muttered something incoherent to them, but not to me. "She's only making conversation. I think it has something to do with having a life, but I don't suppose I'd know anything about that." I said, not bitterly this time, but jokingly. "Oooh! Point for Mik! Good job." Cal said patting me on the back. "Ah didn't know you had it in you." Marie said. The prof. muttered something about his wife and trudged away. The three of us laughed. "The eggs should be ready by the time Rogue's finished with Tom and Chris," I said. The girls chatted about all manner of frivolous things while they waited. "Eggs are done." I said. About the same time, Tom and Chris came up from the Danger Room. Both were in terrible moods and neither was talking to the other. "What fun this'll be." I heard Marie mutter.  
  
*laughs manically* My that's fun. Okay, I'm trying to get to a plot, but, well, it's hot and the lake across the road is soooooo inviting, and um, gottagobye! 


	3. Breakfast

Neep! Liquid nitrogen it is. *looks at liquid nitrogen trap and laughs evily* And  
  
I have Shagreens staff! Perhaps some combination... Oh, enough of my muse trapping  
  
plans, here's a chapter. Good reader. *pats reader on the head*  
  
Note: Since I forgot last time, Salonlowe is German for ladies man. telepathy  
  
"Marie, will you pass the pepper please?" Tom asked her.  
  
"Sugah, Chris' closuh. It's across the table from me too." she replied. Chris and  
  
Tom had been set on either side of me and Mik was by Marie. Chris had some how  
  
managed to position himself across from Tom.  
  
"I asked you." He said pointedly. Mik finally passed him the pepper. Tom  
  
scoweled at him.  
  
"Tom, you're just like your father." Besty- Professor Worthington or B.W. as she  
  
dubbed herself, said from where she was leaning in the door way.  
  
"He did it." Tom replied before she could say anything.  
  
Tom, I know exactly what you two were doing. Rogue told me everything. she said  
  
telepatically. I heard her because I have a sort of receiving telepathy and I hear  
  
every thought in the universe, though distance makes them grow fainter.  
  
"Mother, not now please." he pleaded. Chris stiffled laughter, but then Professor  
  
Grey-Summers stepped in behind her.  
  
"Mom!" The two whined simultaneously. At least they agreed on something.  
  
"Mik, Ah think if us three are done, we should go see mah- Rogue an' get back to  
  
trainin' up." Marie suggested as carefully as possible.  
  
"Gotcha." I said. "Mik?"  
  
"Might as well." he said.  
  
There you go. Another chapter. Next chapter is Talia's past. Spoon! 


	4. Talia's Past

Neep! My muse! *hugs her non-Dragoon muse* Happy now!  
  
Kurt: Do you treat all your muses lke this?  
  
Karla: Yes. Yes I do.  
  
Lavitz: *bound on the floor* Consider yourself lucky.  
  
Kurt: Eep.  
  
Karla: Goody! Now, insanity shall descend. *waits*  
  
Kurt: Nothing- *purple and green penguins begin dancing about*  
  
Karla: Ha!  
  
"Talia, it was a long time ago just after Excalibur was reformed. Jimaine and I had been 'on and off' for as long as we'd known each other and she thought it either was going to be or it wasn't." Dad started. He wanted to tell me about my past but Brittany had just lost her mother* and that made it hard on all of us.  
  
"So I'm the product of a one night stand?" I asked. I was irratible and things weren't looking up.  
  
"Well..." Dad was uneasy, probably with my phrasing. "More or less but I wish you'd said that differently."  
  
"So how did Mikhael end up seperated from me?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know. You'd have to ask Jimaine." he said biting his lip a bit, "I wasn't there when you were born."  
  
"But how did you end up with Mikhael?" I asked. Something just wasn't making sense.  
  
"Jimaine brought him to me. She said she wouldn't be much of a mother and wanted me to take care of him."  
  
"She never said anything about me?" I asked. "How could she not know about her own daughter?"  
  
"I think she must of, but I don't know why she didn't tell me. Maybe she thought you were dead or some such foolishness." Dad replied. Deaths and resurections were apparently fairly common amoung the X-Men.  
  
"We're almost back now, but can I call Brittany when I get home? We had a fight ad I wanted to apologize." I said.  
  
"You're over it that quickly?" Dad asked.  
  
"She was just upset. I'm worried about her." I said.  
  
"Alright, but wait until tommorow. You've got people right here at home to worry about first okay?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
*see 'Children of the X' Chapters 5&6.  
  
And well she shouldn't know! If you want to find out why she had a bad feeling check my other fic. 


	5. Welcome home

My muse and I had some... creative differences... and he left. I had to go to Muses 'R' Us, but they were out of stock. (thanks to Anything but Ordinary for the idea of a muse store)  
  
Lavitz(my Dragoon muse): Creative differences? *laughs* I thought you were going to kill each other.  
  
Karla: *whaps him with a rolled up news paper* Quiet you.  
  
"Talia!" I exclaimed hugging her. Mik, Cal and I had been training in the Danger Room. Tom and Chris were goodness knows where.  
  
"Hey guys!" she said. "I need to breathe Marie."  
  
"Sorry" I said letting go.  
  
"So how were things fuzzball?" Cal asked. She and Talia were close, and worked great together.  
  
"Like you don't know already." Cal shrugged.  
  
"Figured you'd be the one to focus on the happy things." she replied, "Like not having to put up with me for a bit."  
  
"I don't put up with you. You're my best firend." Talia said half laughing.  
  
"Good to see you're still yourself. Cal tried to fill your shoes." Mik said. Talia and he were twins, but they hadn't grown up together.  
  
"You're no better Mik. Something about Professor Summers not having a life?" Cal replied.  
  
"Where are Tom and Chris?" Talia asked looking around. "They've been fighting again haven't they?"  
  
"Sure have sugah. You got somethin' planned?" Rogue asked from the control booth.  
  
"Just a little something specially to make a team out of anyone, but I need full cooperation from my team." She said.  
  
"You've always got that Talia" Mik replied.  
  
"Good, now let's get started."  
  
Oooooohhh! What could our fearless leader have planned? And could she have forgotten Brittany? 


	6. Finally!

Well, Talia didn't forget. Really. My muse forgot, but I didn't, so here goes.  
  
"Okay, are you two set?" I asked Cal and Marie. They were in the Danger Room control booth. Cal flashed the thumbs up and they ducked down to wait.  
  
"And you're sure about doing this Mik?" I asked. He was standing with me in the Danger Room.  
  
"Of course I am. Now go call Brittany before you die of worry." He said. "I'll be fine, okay?"  
  
"If you say so..." I said, "But I could-"  
  
"Go." he replied sternly. I went, satisfied that everyone would do their jobs.  
  
***************************************  
  
I dialed Brittany's number carefully. Dad said he would fit the bill because this was important after all.  
  
"Hello?" I asked when the phone was picked up.  
  
Brittany's dad answered. His voice was slurred by what must have been alcohol, and most probably was whiskey. "Who is it?"  
  
"Talia Wagner. I'm looking for Brittany." I replied.  
  
"She's not here. Don't call again." He said.  
  
"Are you alright Sir?" I asked. Formality was not my strong suit, but I was capable when I needed to be.  
  
"I'm fine, so is Brittany, now leave me alone." He replied hanging up with a loud click.  
  
****************************************  
  
"Dad, I think Brittany's in trouble." I said after I had found him. He was playing chess with Logan.  
  
"Why. What happened?" He asked.  
  
"Her father's slashed out of his mind and won't talk to anyone." I replied.  
  
"What?! Talia, are you serious?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. He answered the phone and told me Brittany wasn't home and he was so slurred I could barely understand him.  
  
"Talia, how much of your team can you get to come?" Dad asked.  
  
"Two." I replied. "Tom and Chris are being punished and we need someone to make sure they don't get themselves killed.  
  
"Rogue can do that. Get the rest and come with me." he replied.  
  
"And what do you think you're going to do Elf?" Logan asked.  
  
"Fly the plane." He replied.  
  
"I mean against the living flag over there."  
  
"Good point." he replied. He took a second to think "Well, someone has to go."  
  
"I will Elf. Their going to need the help."  
  
Neep! Finally every one is on the same page! *claps* Yay! 


	7. The Really Big Fight!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Any of those who wanted to hurt, kill or miam Brian (you know, Brittany's dad) Your number has been called. Please read and reveiw.  
  
Something big was up. Talia had come to get us and she was in such a state that I had to screen her thoughts. Once we were up in the air she asked me to scan for Brittany. I didn't want to tell her I hadn't found a trace.  
  
"Where are we going?" Marie asked. She was worried about Talia too and her powers were running out of control judging by the amount of time she spent trying to avoid human contact.  
  
"Brittany's in some kind of trouble because of her father." Talia replied. She was definitly distracted. I looked for any trace of Brittany again. Again I found nothing.  
  
"Cal, have you found her yet?" Talia asked me. Ah, what the hell, I can't lie to my friends.  
  
"I- No. I can't find a thing." I replied. Talia looked like she was going to either cry or hit something. She did neither but cursed in several languagesmostly aimed at Brian.  
  
"Talia, save it for later. You're going to need all the energy you've got." Mik said. She stopped talking, but anyone could see that she was seething with rage.  
  
******************************************  
  
"I can't land at your coordinates you spcified but I can get you close. I'll drop you all there and be back alright?" Nightcrawler told us. Talia nodded and teleported along with Mik to bring us all to my coordinates.  
  
Brian was looking for Brittany and he had a maniacal glint in his eye, "Brittany, come on out. I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean it. Come on sweetie, I know your hiding somewhere." That was all Wolverine could take of that. he jumped at the deranged shell of a man and began to claw at him.  
  
To our shock, Brian threw him clear and didn't seem to have suffered a bit.  
  
Melange (that's Marie's codename) tried absorbing his powers but for some reason it didn't work. I was busy using my own to find out just exactly what it was he could do. Meanwhile she was thrown aside.  
  
"He's Captain Britain?!" I said out of complete shock. Nocturna and Alumus (Talia and Mik in that order) must have already known that he had powers but they were temporarily shocked by me and so didn't notice when he flew at them ready to kill.  
  
Mwahahahahahahahahahaha! Suspense! And a shameless plug! the rest of the fight is in my other story. Chapter 17! 


	8. Mourning

Well, if you read my other story, you know right where Brittany is, but keep in mind, they don't. I'm going to try to stay away from my other story right now and we are entering a new arc called 'Old habits die easy'  
  
Lavitz: That's not how the saying goes.  
  
Karla: I know. That's the point of the title.  
  
Lloyd: And if you don't like it, deal with Shana.  
  
Note: My Logan muse was sent back. He glowered and grunted too much. My Kurt muse will soon be back! Please Kurt?  
  
"Are you two alright?" Wolverrine asked us. I was still too shocked to speak. I could have sworn I'd seen Brittany fend off and kill her own father.  
  
"Talia?" Mik asked me. Again I was still shocked but I managed to reply with a stuttered yes.  
  
"Talia, did you kill him?" Dad asked me. I shook my head violently. I didn't even have my sword.  
  
"Brittany was here. Not for long, but she ran him through on what I think was Excalibur." I replied.  
  
"I can't find a trace of Brittany anywhere. It's like she never existed. Talia, I think she might be dead." Cal said as gently as she could.  
  
"But she was here!" -She can't be dead, she just can't be!-  
  
"Talia, she's dead as far as I can tell. I'm sorry." Cal replied. This was too much. I'd seen her!  
  
"Mikheal, you saw her didn't you? You were standing right here!" I was practically pleading at this point and trying not to cry.  
  
"Talia, I haven't seen Brittany since she was three. All I know is, you didn't kill him. I don't know if she's alive or not, but I'm with Cal on this. You'll come around when you can think clearer." Mikheal replied. I couldn't take it anymore after that. I wanted to run and hide and just cry until my tears were all gone. She couldn't be dead!  
  
More angst for the kiddies! Lovely isn't it? Now Talia has a real job ahead of her.  
  
Shana: What job?  
  
Karla: If I told you that, it would ruin the surprise.  
  
Shana; But I wanna know now!  
  
Karla: If you can be patient, I have a muse you'll really like.  
  
Shana: Dart?  
  
Karla: No.  
  
Shana: Albert?  
  
Karla: No, but he's not a bad muse. I might add him too.  
  
Shana: Yay! 


	9. Fun with demons

Neep! My muses don't stop arguing. One moment please. Lloyd, doesn't that blond one look like Lavitz with longer hair?  
  
"Talia, are you going to be gracing the rest of us with your presence anytime soon?" Silence came from the other side of the door. I kind of figured it would. It's not everyday you lose your best friend and your closest adult friend in the same week. No wonder she thought Brittany was still alive.  
  
"Talia, you've got to eat. Come down for supper." Her father was not demanding, more like he was pleading. Accidentally something dropped into my head. Black Mood  
  
"Black mood? What's that?" I asked myself but accidentally said it out loud.  
  
"Calisto, did you just say what I think you did?" he asked, worried now.  
  
"Black mood?" I asked. He nodded.  
  
"It's a state only acheived by people who have sold their souls, or a piece of it. They sort of... stop trying to fight against whatever it is that has their soul and the time it takes to assert itself is called a Black Mood." Kurt explained.  
  
"Do you think..." I trailed off. I didn't want my friend to be possessed. No way that was happening after all this. I did what I rarely do and used my telepathy to 'spy' on her thoughts.  
  
*****************************  
  
You can't do this! I 'heard' Talia yell. She was angry and facing down-  
  
Herself?!  
  
I can so! It sounded joyful and confident, like it had won already.  
  
No. Talia replied pointedly.  
  
I already have! It crowed. You know the rules. You aren't allowed to win.  
  
She may not be able to but I can. I 'said'. They stared at me.  
  
Cal! I'm sorry about having been such a pain. I shouldn't even ask for help, but I need it and- I cut her off.  
  
You're babbling. Anyway, it's not the end of the world if you ask for help. You are our fearless leader, but everybody needs help sometimes. She smiled. Now let's kick some demonic ass.  
  
Good to know you twothink you can do anything. it said. Talia and I simply threw our respective bolts of force/eldritch energy at it. It went 'BOOM!'  
  
And that's that. Right? I asked.  
  
Until it reassumes a physical form, yes. Now you can wander on out of my head.  
  
I am sorry it's short. Rose of all people helped me with this. I caught her trying to kill Shana. Someone should tell her the Moon that Never Sets, um, set. Oh well. 


	10. Even more fun with demons

Brian is indeed still here. Lloyd did not kill him. He and Kurt spend a lot of time arguing (like Excalibur in the days of old), and frankly, they're giving me a headache. That's explains me not being on for a while. For your patience, you get a parody.  
  
Karla: Who wants to read the synopsis? *the LoD characters inch back. Kurt hurriedly does the same* Okay Brian, come read the synopsis again.  
  
Brian: No.  
  
Karla: I wonder how hard the goblin queen version of Meggan is to find...  
  
Brian: You wouldn't.  
  
Karla: I'm the author. Now read the script boy.  
  
Brian: I'm twice your age at least. Where do you get off calling me 'boy'?  
  
Karla: *Whaps with a newspaper* I'm the author! That means I know everything about your pathetic little universe now read the script or I'll find Saturnyne's mind control drugs and make you!  
  
Brian: Eep. *clears throat* After a psionic battle with the demonic part of herself, Talia is beginning to show signs of reverting to her old ways- *stops reading* What are her old ways exactly? *whaps him with a newspaper and makes a mental note to sic Shana on him* while Chris and Tom know nothing of this entire problem. Happy?  
  
Karla: No. And stay out of the tequilla!  
  
The mood was pretty sullen during supper. Marie hung her head and tried to be as sympathetic as she could which must have been hard since she and Brittany never really knew each other that well. Talia was merely playing with the food on her plate, thinking probably. Cal was trying hard to coax herself into eating. Tom and Chris naturally were oblivious to everything but their own problems.  
  
"Yes, but I was the one who beat the robot." Tom was saying. They were arguing like two year olds.  
  
"But I opened the gate!" Chris replied.  
  
"Yeah and it was completely demolished." Tom replied. I could see Talia tensing with every word.  
  
"So what? It got opened!" Chris replied. I'd had enough of this.  
  
"Would both of you shut up and listen?" They abruptly stopped talking. "Brittany Braddock, for all intents and purposes died today. You two weren't there because of your petty squabling, but had you been we might have been able to find her. Her father is dead as well, as is her mother. I don't expect you to be sad, but I do expect you to at least be sympathetic."  
  
"Brittany's dead?" Tom asked. He was her cousin, so I knew telling him I only expected sympathy had tugged his heart strings. "What happened?"  
  
To all our surprises, Talia replied. "Her father was abusing her and we think he may have killed her. He was impaled by... by some unknown corps woman and died."  
  
Chris, the only one immune to heart string tugging (considering we doubted he had a heart), snorted. "You probably just decided to have lunch."  
  
Talia jumped directly to the ceiling and dropped around behind him, sword drawn. Cal and Marie stood, their chairs scraping against the wood floor.  
  
"Listen very carefully Chris," he was terrified and we all knew it, Talia didn't even have to use persuasion. "I do not eat souls, and I would never kill anyone unless there was absolutely no other alternative. Make another comment like that and I'll make an exception just for you." Chris was so scared he was almost crying and he was shaking like a leaf.  
  
"Sugah, let him go. We're all on the same team here. He didn't mean it." Marie pleaded. Chris knew enough at least not to make a stupid comment. Talia teleported away.  
  
"Are you alright?" I asked Chris. He nodded, still to scared to talk.  
  
"Good." Cal said and punched him in the stomach. She went off to find Talia.  
  
*****************  
  
Marie and I helped Chris to the infirmary and found Doctor Grey-Summers.  
  
"What happened to him?" She asked. He was beginning to enter shock and so she instructed us on how to help and then repeated her question.  
  
"He just said something so bone headed Ah woulda hit him if Cal hadn'ta." Marie answered.  
  
"That girl needs to control her temper better. I'll-"  
  
I cut her off. "Doctor, she was doing it in defense of my sister. Brittany died today and Talia is just plain depressed, and then after she explained that Brian was dead as well, Chris thought she'd eaten his soul. She was naturally upset beyond belief, just like I would have been, and then Cal punched him for being so stupid."  
  
"It's still not right." she replied, "but under the circumstances, I can't punish her too badly. I'll leave it to you to talk to her."  
  
There we go. I guess she's pretty traumatized. The funeral won't be for a few chapters yet because I have some other loose ends to tie up, but I'm working on it. 


	11. Bye Bye

Neep! I'm currently looking for the rest of Excalibur at Muses'R'Us. Meggan can handle the synopsis.  
  
Meggan: Yay! Um, where's the script?  
  
Brian: *hides it behind his back and whistles innocently*  
  
Kurt: Brian, you wouldn't happen to know would you?  
  
Brian: Of course not.  
  
Meggan: I guess I'll have to do it without one...  
  
Kurt: *teleports and grabs the script then teleports it to Meggan*  
  
Meggan: Oh! Yay! Thanks Kurt! *hugs him*  
  
Brian: *glares* The synopsis Meggan.  
  
Meggan: Oh yeah! Ahem. Talia, upset by her friends death, nearly kills one of her teammates during supper. She realizes what she's done and disappears. Cal goes up to comfort her and Chris is taken to the infirmary by Mik and Marie.  
  
"Come on Tal, I've done that loads of times. Maybe not with a sword, but still, I've threatened to melt peoples skulls before." I said. She was in a terrible mood and I knew it. She kept going back over her 'if only's' and I knew that was trouble. I'd rather have been in her room than outside her door.  
  
"But I'm not supposed to! I'm supposed to be a good example!" She was choking on her tears, but the force of the statement was still there.  
  
"Hey, does anyone expect you to be perfect? I don't." I replied.  
  
"Yes! I expect me to be at least decent enough not to nearly kill my friends at the dinner table!*" She replied.  
  
*see last chapter  
  
"Look, I know how to cheer you up. Let's go see what Barbie and Ken are doing, or talk to Blitz or something." Barbie and Ken were our favourite prank receivers also known as Jean and Scott Summers. Blitz was the closest thing Talia would let herself have to a boyfriend. She kept getting annoyed because she thought it would end up like the Summers' if she got close to anyone.  
  
She sniffled. "Blitz is here?"  
  
"I came as soon as I heard." he said, his boots clicking lightly as he nearly ran down the corridor. He motioned for me to go and so I did. Only Talia knew his identity and even I didn't because he had natural mental sheilding.  
  
*****************************  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" Tom asked. He was the only one left at the table.  
  
"Blitz is with her. Man I wish I knew his secret." I said.  
  
"You mean his identity? I'm with you on this. It's so unnerving not to be able to read somebody's thoughts. Like turning off a radio you've been listening to all your life." Tom replied.  
  
"How have you been taking it?" I asked.  
  
He sighed. "To tell the truth, I haven't been taking it. I just keep thinking that she's still alive and whatever. Talia might be right considering some of the messed up stuff in our family. Mom had a friend who used to call us the Euro-Summers'." He smiled a bit.  
  
"Weird stuff's happened?" I asked.  
  
"My uncle Brian was lost in the time stream for the longest time. Uncle Jamie has the ability to bend reality- oh man! What's he going to say when he finds out? We haven't been able to get a hold of him." Tom said, pushing away from the table enough to nearly tip the chair he was on. He would have fallen if not for his telekinesis.  
  
"I can try. Where do you think he is?" I asked.  
  
"Somewhere on the planet. That's all I know." Tom replied.  
  
I scanned for Jamie's psi-waves. Everyones were unique and his were even more so because he saw the world as a tiny speck, humanity as a smaller speck, himself as an even smaller speck. He had real trouble believing that things mattered/existed, and that made his signature stick out like a sore thumb.  
  
Who? Came a cautious psionic reply.  
  
It's Cal. Calisto? You know, Talia's friend. I replied.  
  
Didn't I ask you guys not to bug me? He replied, a little angry and a lot worried.  
  
Brittany's dead. So is Brian. We couldn't get a hold of you any other way. I'm really sorry. I said. He appeared with Amanda infront of us in less time than it takes to blink.  
  
"Brittany's dead?" He asked, eyes wide. He put a hand on my shoulder. "Tell me this is a stupid prank you guys are playing and she'll jump out and tell me to lighten up." He practically begged.  
  
I looked away. How could I say this straight to his face. The emotions he had were overwhelming. I couldn't stand all the strain of syphoning them, but I did manage to make them bearable. "I- She really is-" I faltered.  
  
"She really is dead. I looked for her myself. She's dead." Tom said.  
  
Gaea peeked out around Amanda's legs. "Brinny go bye bye?" she asked. She wasn't old enough to pronounce some things yet. Jamie knelt down and scooped his daughter up.  
  
"We think she's dead sweetie." he said. He had long since explained to her what death meant, since he couldn't block her powers.  
  
"Brinny coming back soon." she said. She didn't ask, just told us.  
  
"What?" Jamie asked.  
  
"Brinny go through shiny pretty thingie. Brinny go pretty place. Pretty place send Brinny to icky red place." Gaea replied.  
  
"She's in hell?! What did she do to deserve that?" Jamie was momentarily to shocked to even think. He looked Gaea straight in the eye. "Do you know why they sent her to the icky red place?"  
  
"They made Brinny kill Uncie Brian. He go bye bye too." she replied.  
  
Wahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You who read both fics know what's going on! Fun fun! 


	12. He really is a jerk!

Neep! I'm back! My muses are off acting and Brian is very drunk, so I got Final Fantasy VII's Aeris to give me a hand with the synopsis.  
  
Aeris: This is a cool place. Is Cloud here?  
  
Karla: I don't like Cloud. You're actually a replacemet for Meggan.  
  
Aeris: Is she nice?  
  
Karla: Yes actually. Anyway, here's the script. Read away.  
  
Aeris: Having been informed of his nieces death, Jamie is convinced that she has been sent to hell for murdering her father. Amanda leaves to look for her, leaving Gaea and himself in the institute. Meanwhile Blitz is comforting Talia and Chris is just waking up. *pauses* Did I do good?  
  
Karla: You did great.  
  
"Ooooohhh..." Chris moaned as he woke up. Marie was watching him intently. She had a bit of a crush on him, but he was apparently to thick to notice.  
  
"Feelin' okay sugah?" she asked.  
  
"No." He whined. "My head hurts and my gut hurts and I feel awful."  
  
"Serves you right. If not for Marie, you'd probably be lying in a pool of your own blood on the kitchen floor." I replied. He grimaced.  
  
"I didn't need to hear that Mik. You're stupid b***h of a sister doesn't even belong here in the first place, let alone as leader." he said. "Everyone knows I should have been the leader."  
  
"I'm glad she came along. If you'd have been leader, we wouldn't have survived more than five seconds." I replied. I choose not to respond to his bit about my sister. That couldn't be changed yet.  
  
"So you think you should have been? Think you're all high and mighty 'cause your dad runs this place?" he asked swinging around off the bed and standing in front of me.  
  
"Nein. I think you've been trying to become leader even if it means the team." I replied.  
  
"Why you- That's insubordination! Mutiny!" He yelled.  
  
"Mutiny against who?" I asked, "mutiny is disloyalty to a leader, not pointing out the obvious in a 'friend'."  
  
"That's unfair." he replied.  
  
"Unfair is how you've been treating everyone. Intake day is awfully soon and we will train your replacement." I said. I was bluffing, but he didn't know that.  
  
"Fine! See if I care! I don't need the stupid team to survive. I'll go on my own." He said. He walked out in a huff.  
  
"That's the best you could have hoped for with him." Dr. Grey-Summers said. She'd seen the whole thing I assumed.  
  
"I didn't mean for him to-" I started. Marie stopped me.  
  
"Sugah, it's all right. Even Ah know he's testy. Y'did yoah best." She said.  
  
"You're so much like your father." Dr. Grey-Summers said and for once, I took it as a compliment.  
  
Neep! Happy happy! Is anyone else curious about who Blitz is? I'm not telling! Yet anyway. 


	13. The adults

Aeris will continue to read my synopsis' for me because she likes cookies and doesn't mind me occasionally making fun of her.  
  
Aeris: It's all for the greater good. Besides, you keep Sephiroth away.  
  
Karla: Isn't Lloyd good at that?  
  
Aeris: He actually kind of reminds me of Sephiroth.  
  
Karla: Sephiroth is a Lloyd clone.  
  
Aeris: That explains a few things.  
  
Karla: *notices readers* Oh! Aeris, the synopsis?  
  
Aeris: The adults have decided to figure out what to do with intake day coming up and such a morbid occassion as a funeral to prepare for.  
  
I stood staring absentmindedly out the window of the mansion's office. It seemed so long ago that it had been me looking for advice, or help with controling my urge to teleport whenever something touched me. Now I was running the institute and I understood why sometimes the professor was difficult to talk to.  
  
"Look, all I'm saying is that the rest should know. Amanda said that none of her contacts knew anything about a corpsman's daughter dying. She might be just in another world." Jamie had been practically begging them to delay the funeral for as long as possible. Talia had done the same, although Blitz had done most of the talking because she was in no state to do it herself.  
  
"And we all know how reliable Amanda can be." Warren snorted a bit.  
  
"Are you picking a fight with me?" Jamie asked him. With his powers, he knew already. Warren and he had never liked each other, and now... Now I honestly wished I hadn't called everyone together.  
  
"Warren, Jamie, calm down. You're both hurt, but look around. Neither of you are alone so at least acknowledge that and stop acting like you're both two years old." Betsy accompanied this with a little glare in each man's direction. Warren put his arm around his wife and gave a little squeaze.  
  
"I'm sorry darling." He said simply. Jamie bit his lip a bit. He'd never appologized for anything bar the death of Allysande Stuart, who he couldn't resurrect on the count of how long she had been dead. He was the oldest of everyone assembled agewise with the exception of Logan, but he had also lost several years of his life by being trapped in statis. The result was that he acted the youngest of all of us.  
  
"This isn't really our decision. Ah think we're all bein' here just to be told what we're goin' t'do." Rogue said. Jean and Scott stepped in carefully. They had decided it better to finish their last classes and then come. Jean had been monitoring everything and so they weren't really a disturbance.  
  
"So Elf, what are we goin' ta do?" Logan asked. We all by now knew his history, but he perferred us forget that. I turned slowly. I had no idea how to answer. I did what I always manage to do in a tight spot.  
  
I winged it. "We've already established that the funeral can't be held after intake day. Jamie, I'll delay it as best I can. I don't want to beleive she's dead either, but for all intents and purposes..." I paused, swallowing anger and tears. "She's gone. We're going to have to hold a service for her, and it does need to be soon. I don't want Talia or any of the others to go through this twice."  
  
"I-" He paused quickly, closed his eyes and took a breath. "I understand."  
  
"I'll say a week from now." I said. The other's left with that. Jamie stayed behind.  
  
"They haven't found a body yet." he said.  
  
"I know, but we have to do something. What about Brian?" I asked. We had been friends during the dying days of our team and I hadn't even noticed...  
  
"Buried by Meggan, like he wanted. You were there." He said. He'd missed my meaning, but that was alright with me, it probably wasn't the time.  
  
"Did Brittany have any friends? Anyone who really needs to know?" I asked. I hadn't spent much time with her myself, but she seemed fairly outgoing.  
  
"She didn't really get on well with anyone else. They either stereo-typed her as a prep or thought she was some kind of freak. Damia is really the only friend she had, except her favorite teachers.  
  
"She was friends with her teachers?" I asked. She hadn't really seemed the type.  
  
"Ya actually. She liked pretty much all of them. I can find them for you if you like." he offered. "I can find Damia too, but I can't bring her her. She's a shapeshifter."  
  
"Find Damia first then. I'll take the jet to her." I replied.  
  
Yay! My first attempt at writing my muse. (With loads of help from him of course) he insisted that I do this. There are a few more preparation chapters, after that we will do what the X-Men do best!  
  
Kurt: Mass mayhem and property destruction without even so much as an appology?  
  
Karla: Saving the world!  
  
Kurt: So that's what we were doing. I wondered sometimes.  
  
Karla: I think you had ought to go back to being Luigi. 


	14. Talia's Lament

I'm back! The Dragoon fics seem to get more reviews, but oh well. This shall continue!  
  
Aeris: Do you want me to read the synopsis again?  
  
Karla: Sure. Brian will be back soon to do his part, but right now he's... incapacitated shall we say... and he can't be here.  
  
Aeris: Drunk and lying in a pool of his own drool?  
  
Karla: *laughs* You learn quick! *notices readers* I mean, Sh! Don't tell the readers that!  
  
Aeris: But- *notices readers* Oh. Hiya! The adults have decided more or less what to do about Brittany, Chris is goodness knows where, and Talia is wondering how everything could have gotten so messed up.  
  
I was alone finally. Blitz had left after making sure I was okay and helping me talk to my dad. I was going over my options in my head.  
  
I couldn't run away. That was obvious. This wasn't a problem that I could run from. It would follow me everywhere. Besides, they'd find me and that'd be it.  
  
I couldn't pretend. Not anymore. They'd know something wasn't right. Cal sort of thought she knew, but that was only because she got into my head by accident. They'd all know eventually.  
  
I couldn't fight. That much was simple. I had fought my entire life. I had to stop sometime. Magic told me something once. She said that when you let revenge drive you, pain jumps in the back seat and follows you everywhere. I didn't want that.  
  
I had to talk to someone. I didn't want to admit that. I'm a leader, I'm not supposed to need help anymore, but... I needed help now.  
  
Sorry! I know it's short! I'd rather a well written short chapter then a poorly written long one though. Wouldn't you? 


	15. More of Blitz

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee! Here I am again! Oh, I forgot last time, if you happen to be into X-Men: Evolution (and even if you aren't) go check out Todd fan's fics. They're hilarious!  
  
Karla: Aeris? Brian? Which of you is slated today?  
  
Brian: Lloyd!  
  
Karla: No Brian, who is going to read the synopsis?  
  
Aeris: He is. He just doesn't want to.  
  
Karla: Thanks Aeris. *notices Brian trying to sneak away* Get back here!  
  
Brian: Damn.  
  
Karla: Serves you right. *notices readers* Why are you people always early?! Brian, the synopsis.  
  
Brian: *sighs* With Brittany dead and Talia in no conditon to do anything and Chris goodness knows where... *pauses* That must be the longest run on sentence I've ever read.  
  
Karla: Continue.  
  
Brian: The X-Men are faced with the need for a temporary leader and some temporary teammates.  
  
"Blitz, why won't you help?" I asked. He was standing half in and half out of the back door of the mansion.  
  
"Because I already have a permanent job. Look, I have to get going so why don't you take your trained monkeys back in and leave me alone?" he replied. I wasn't surprised at the sharpness. He was just that close to my sister. Tom however, was much less understanding.  
  
"You think you're so high and mighty because we don't know who you are? Is that it? Or is it because you work for the government? What is it that makes you think you're better than us?!" Tom's voice rose to a yell. Blitz just stood there, a neutral expression on his face. Then again, almost all his expressions were neutral. He wore a helmet and visor that none of us could see past.  
  
"I'm not any better than you. I just don't do team work okay?!" He was starting to show a little anger, but not much.  
  
"Guys, will you leave us alone?" I asked. Marie looked at me worriedly and left. Tom went reluctantly, and was sort of... persuaded... by Cal.  
  
"So why are you still here?" he asked annoyed.  
  
"Because I want to know the real reason you won't help us. I know you work for the defense department in Germany, but can't you-" he stopped me.  
  
"[I can't. Do you know how much paper work there'd be? Besides, they don't like not knowing who I am either. I might as well be on probation. I want to help you, I just- I can't.]"* he said.  
  
*translated from German  
  
"[Wait a minute, not even the government knows who you are?]" I asked.  
  
"[No, they don't. If you must know, the only person who knows who I am at home is the Chancelor himself.]" he replied.  
  
"[And Talia knows who you are too of course.]" he cringed a little and drew a breath.  
  
"[Yes, she does, but she wasn't supposed to. I shouldn't have told her.]" he replied. He glanced over his shoulder for some reason then pushed me sideways. I heard something stick in one of the pillars framing the door.  
  
"[Sorry about that. I didn't think you wanted to be impaled today.]" he said. He scrambled up and pulled the dirk from the pillar then handed it to me.  
  
"[You just saved my life.]" I said half shocked, half angry.  
  
"[That's just something I do.]" He said flying off.  
  
Neep! Another chapter! Isn't Blitz fun? Is everyone curious? Good that you are, it's fun this way. I will eventually reveal who Blitz is, but after the funeral okay? Oh and if you're wondering an dirk is a small knife or dagger and it's also a move in fencing when you thrust sharply foward with your sword/foil. 


	16. Damia

Whahahahahahaha! Three chapters at once! My muses just don't want to work on the parodies.  
  
Kurt: Karla, if you didn't abuse us like you do, we might be more cooperative.  
  
Karla: I only made you quit smoking the cigars and I'm trying to make Brian quit drinking. That's not abuse.  
  
Kurt: *holds up a rolled up newspaper* Familiar?  
  
Karla: That's discipline. You train muses the same as you train pets. Praise when they're good and a gentle whap with a newspaper when they're bad.  
  
Kurt: And Brian is still unconscious why?  
  
Karla: Because Jamie didn't do a good enough job turning all the beer into Club soda.  
  
Kurt: Author magic works on Jamie Braddock?  
  
Karla: Yes it does. Why were you not shocked before in Zelda?  
  
Kurt: Didn't register I guess.  
  
I'd gone off to find Brittany's friends to break the news. It was actually pretty easy considering that school was in. That got the teachers all in one go.  
  
They were distressed and the one took leave right then and there. The other three decided it best to tell the students. I left after that and went to see Damia.  
  
*****************  
  
"Hello?" I asked. The door was opened, but I didn't see by what.  
  
"I'm in the dining room!" Came a female voice from presumably, the dining room.  
  
I stepped inside to see if I could find her. The whole house was covered in plants. The were everywhere. Damia must have been a gardener supreme to do this.  
  
"Oh!" She said when I stepped into the dining room. She scrambled to get her image inducer, then realized she was too late and so she looked at me sheepishly.  
  
"Good to know I don't have to deal with you hiding who you are anymore." I said.  
  
"How did you know?" She asked.  
  
"Powers of my own. Anyway, that's not why I came." I paused, trying to get the strength to tell her.  
  
"She's dead isn't she?" Damia asked simply.  
  
"We haven't found a body yet, but yes." I replied.  
  
"Have they had the funeral?"  
  
"Not yet. We had to get the word out first." I said.  
  
"Can I come?" She asked.  
  
"You were her best friend. Of course you can come. Kurt was going to ask you to write a..." I paused trying to think of the word. Damn my one brain cell and it's vacation time!  
  
"Eulogy?" She asked, realizing I wasn't coming up with anything.  
  
"That's the one." I replied.  
  
We left in the plane I had flown here. I couldn't fly the X-Jet, but I could fly the Midnight Runner (don't ask. I don't know why I can only fly that one. All I know is it was built by Brian in the days of Excalibur).  
  
Interludes are fun aren't they? I had to get away from the mansion for awhile. I'm choosing not to write the funeral, although I do know how one works, I don't feel like writing one, although I might write flashbacks to it.  
  
A/N: As to where Chris is, the author just doesn't like him. She's doing something foolish with him. I don't know what, she won't tell me. And remember, reviews pay for a Disclaimer machine! 


	17. Intake day!

Woahaha! I'm back! I'm such an evil genius today! Okay, I'm working on the Christmas thing but it might be late... Anyway, I will do it as a stand alone and after this chapter I will start in on Blitz!  
  
A/N: We have a Disclaimer machine! Aren't you all happy you reviewed?  
  
Disclaimer: That's not your sock.  
  
A/N: You see? I think we need a party.  
  
Karla: With Kat here? I'm surprised the house hasn't burned to the ground.  
  
Kat: What? Where's my sugar baby?  
  
Karla: You set it on fire.  
  
Kat: Ooooooooh... Can I have another one?  
  
Karla: No. I gave you Pixie Stix and my cat is now scarred for life again.  
  
Jamie: I said I was sorry!  
  
Kat: I didn't mean to set him on fire...  
  
Karla: He's still regrowing his fur.  
  
Kat: He doesn't like fire?  
  
Karla: You know, you could be nicer to him.  
  
Kat: I was being nice!  
  
Karla: O_O  
  
Intake day was upon us. Talia had managed to at least show her presence. She was still suffering. The funeral had been a week ago and when she found out Chris was missing, she blamed herself.  
  
I spotted a girl by the door, standing a bit aloof in the door. She was tall and blonde and had sparkling blue eyes. I could have sworn I'd seen those eyes before...  
  
"Hi." I said. She looked shocked and then relaxed.  
  
"Hi. Um... I'm a bit new here. You wouldn't mind showing me around would you?" She said. She had a voice like honey coated chocolate. I don't know what came over me after that.  
  
"Sure." I said. She was so beautiful. Like- No, she couldn't have been her. That was just me being stupid. I took her around the mansion anyway.  
  
*********************  
  
"Gaea! I wondered where you'd gone!" Jamie, as he insisted we call him, ran up behind us. The blonde girl hadn't introduced herself, but I knew she wasn't his four-year-old daughter.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked. I saw her tense. No way could she have been-  
  
"Gaea, what have I told you about that illusion? You're four years old so please act your age." He said. She pouted and after a flash Gaea was standing in place of her illusion.  
  
"But I wanna be pwetty!" She exclaimed. She was very close to a temper tantrum. I couldn't quite belive it.  
  
"Gaea, you are pretty." I said, not quite knowing where this was going. "You're pretty just the way you are and I like you the way you are and one day you're going to find somebody very special, but if you want to be special yourself you have to go through life the way you're supposed to, not faking it, okay?"  
  
"I'm pwetty? Weawwy? Weawwy, weawwy pwetty?" She asked.  
  
"Ja, you are. Now, hadn't you better be going?" I asked. Jamie picked her up and they went back with Amanda to the lighthouse. They'd decided to turn the Manor into a school like this, but they wanted to wait and see if Brittany showed up again.  
  
Neep! I will show more of intake day soon. I got writers block for the longest time and I'm going back to school soon. I'm not sure exactly when but after that I won't be able to post as much.  
  
Kurt: We're staying right?  
  
Karla: Of course you are.  
  
Kat: Really? *dances around to Gloria Ganger's 'I will survive'*  
  
Karla: Kat! Elvis is coming to get you!  
  
Kat: Where?! *hides under a peach basket* 


	18. The truth shall set you free Or knock yo...

Well, I'm back! Here's intake day. I just had to do that thing with Gaea because she's such a cutie and it makes for a nice interlude. Anyway, I figured I should show intake day at the mansion because they will hopefully be getting a new member.  
  
Kurt: New member? You never said anything about that.  
  
Karla: Well with Chris gone they need someone.  
  
Kurt: *sarcastically* Who could we ever find to replace him?  
  
Karla: I have a few ideas.  
  
Kurt: You are not deageing anyone.  
  
Karla: Of course not.  
  
Kurt: No one's coming from the past or future or another universe?  
  
Karla: Nope.  
  
Kurt: Then where are you going to get anyone?  
  
Karla: Runaways and stuff like that.  
  
"Die evil mutant snowmen!" exclaimed the boy in front of us. He was in the Danger Room showing of his powers. He had the ability to shapeshift into three different things. A winged creature, a tiger/bear like monster and something small. We weren't sure what and neither was he.  
  
"Evil mutant snowmen?" I asked. "Sugah, do y'think y'might have a bit of an over active imagination?" I asked. He was in truth taking out a bunch of white pilliars we had told him were his pretend foes.  
  
"What ever works I guess." Cal said. She was still worried about Talia, and who wouldn't be? She wouldn't talk to anyone except Blitz and we could barely get her to eat. She was taking Brittany's death way too seriously. It had been weeks ago now. Almost a month and she was still moping.  
  
"So did I do good?" he asked from the floor. All the pillars had been demolished and he didn't have a scratch on him.  
  
"Wow." Cal was rarely impressed. I was likewise. This guy was a keeper.  
  
"Well, we like you well enough. Hit the showers and then we'll talk." Tom said. He had been quiet through the whole day, but that was nothing new. He spent a lot of time thinking these days.  
  
******************************  
  
His name turned out to be Tobias and we called him Triad for his power. He went with Tom to get aquainted with the mansion. Cal and I were about to leave when we noticed someone was still in the Danger Room. We went over to the panel and looked down to see who it was.  
  
Below us was Blitzkreig in full armor. He had reset the system and was doing all sorts of tricky manuveurs.  
  
"Y'all sure you should be doing that?" I asked. He looked up and stopped midflight. A pillar just happened to land on his helmet with a crunch. He was out cold and we quickly turned of the simulation.  
  
"We'd better get him down to the infirmary." Cal said as we lifted Blitz up. He wasn't all that heavy for what he looked like and we didn't have to strain at all to carry him.  
  
"Must be one of those Bruce Banner style nerds. Strong on the outside, feather weight on the inside." Cal said as we lifted him onto a bed.  
  
"What happened?" Talia asked form the door. She has a habit of appearing from nowhere.  
  
"Blitz got a knock on the head is all. He's got a concussion and we think he might be bleeding." Cal replied.  
  
"I'll get things from here okay?" Talia asked. She was on the verge of ordering us to get out, but we knew she hadn't slept in a long while and that meant mistakes.  
  
"I don't think you will. You can help, but you're tired. Don't worry about him okay?" Cal attempted reason. Talia is usually reasonable.  
  
"Well..." She trailed off. "Alright, but only because you're my friends."  
  
I carefully slid Blitz's damaged helmet off. Underneath was-  
  
A girl?!  
  
Woohaha! I'm going to have so much fun with my poor readers over this!  
  
Kat: Can I have a cookie yet?  
  
Karla: You burned down a bedroom door. No cookies for you.  
  
Jamie: What about me?  
  
Karla: You're in the story.  
  
Jamie: So? I think I should get a cookie.  
  
Karla: Aren't you all macho and whatever?  
  
Jamie: I can manipulate the universe. That had a big affect on my mind.  
  
Karla: No cookies for you either. 


	19. The truth, the whole truth and nothing b...

I'm back. Tobias will be on the team! Why do you think I explained his powers? Anyway, this next bit will focus on Blitz because look at what's been revealed!  
  
A/N: The poem was written by Talia just prior to this.  
  
Brian: Blitzkreig is a girl?  
  
Kurt: I think that's what she means.  
  
Kat: *sets Brian's whiskey on fire*  
  
Brian: *runs around screaming and trying to put it out*  
  
All: *laugh because he shouldn't have been drinking in the first place*  
  
Blitz had come around and was staring shocked at the rest of us. He... I mean she, said a few choice pharses in German and then just looked nervous. All the X-Men were assembled except our newest member Triad and Tom who was helping him get aquainted with the place.  
  
"You should have told Talia." Cal was saying through gritted teeth. She was so angry that we were all getting headaches. "You mess with my best friend and you mess with me. Without your helmet, you don't want to mess with me."  
  
"I-" she was cut off by Marie.  
  
"Sugah, we put a little bit o'trust in y'and y'threw it all back at us. What possessed y'to try and hurt her like that? What would you do if she found out hunh?!" Marie was a little less reserved about her anger.  
  
A shrill whistle from the doorway silenced everyone. Talia stood there with a piece of paper still in her hand. She had been crying and she looked away from us. She said something so softly only I heard it. "I knew."  
  
"Sugah, what are y'moaning about?" Marie asked.  
  
"I knew." she repeated loud enough for us all to hear.  
  
"But why-" Marie stopped, silenced by Cal's telepathic message.  
  
They're in love.  
  
Okay, I'll let you chew on that for awhile. I've been leading up to it for a while, and now, here you go. I was actually going to save this for a later story when I had no more ideas, but... I'd been leading up to it and it seemed unfair not to do it now.  
  
Kat: Aw! They're sisters!  
  
Karla: Which one of you want's to explain?  
  
All: *point to someone else*  
  
Brian: How about you explain?  
  
Karla: Me? But-  
  
Kurt: You wrote it.  
  
Karla: You wrote it.  
  
Kurt: Nein, you wrote it.  
  
Karla: You!  
  
Kurt: You!  
  
*continues on like this*  
  
Kat: *starts singing 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' (which she learned from Shana in exchange for 'I will Survive')*  
  
All: *cover ears and cringe* 


	20. The end of intake day

Neep! Here I am! Kat is now a little smarter... *looks at Kat who is trying to get the glue off her face* Sort of... Anyway, I managed to get a Warning Machine thrown in with the Disclaimer Machine, it was just a little late. *pokes the warning machine*  
  
Warning: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!  
  
Karla: *whaps it with a newspaper*  
  
Brian: That's not going to work.  
  
Warning: Story contains f/f slash. Don't kill me.  
  
Karla: :b So there! Now Synopsis Boy!  
  
Brian: Don't call me that.  
  
Kat: But she didn't call you 'that'! She called you Synopsis Boy.  
  
Brian: *sighs* With intake day all but over and Blitz's identidy revealed... *pause* You're out of ideas aren't you?  
  
Karla: I have one more.  
  
Brian: Oh. *continues* The X-Men prepare the team rosters. *pauses* Don't you mean this is a shameless plug for the other thing you conned us into?  
  
Karla: Well... yes, but you aren't supposed to say that.  
  
"So we're all here?" I looked around making sure of that myself. "Good. I've watched you all very closely and I know a few of you quite well," Blitz bit her lip and tried to look inocent, "So it's really hard to do this. There are two teams, and I don't like spliting people up. Tom has asked me already to lead one, and in the absence of Chris, I think it's only fitting, especially since X-Factor is more public."  
  
Tom took all this in nicely. He missed Chris more than anyone, which was odd because they had fought the most and we knew Chris was still alive.  
  
"So who gets to be on my team?" Tom asked. He really wasn't so bad if Chris wasn't in the near vicinity. He had even helped look for him with the rest of us.  
  
"I was thinking that since we've both been watching everyone all day, you should pick your own team." I replied.  
  
"Except me. I'm staying right here." Blitz said simply. No one expected her to go anywhere, but Professor Summers and Dr. Grey-Summers had a bit of a problem with her and I. Oh well, I can't win everybody over.  
  
"I know already. Let's see... any X-Men coming my way?" Tom asked. Marie looked around nervously.  
  
"If Ah go, y'aren't goin' t'hold it personal are you?" She asked me.  
  
"Of course not. Besides, once an X-Men, always an X-Men." I replied.  
  
"Unless you're an Avenger!" Tobias said causing the whole room to burst out laughing.  
  
"Okay, um... who else want's to come?" Tom asked.  
  
In the end the roosters were Me, Mikhael, Tobias, Blitz, Rachel and Cal with the X-Men. Tom, Klare and Klara (the twins), Leatta, June and August with X-Factor.  
  
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! So I've rearragnged a bit. I was bored and the idea tank is running low. *whaps the idea tank. It sounds hollow* See? 


	21. More of the adults

Finally! An update! Woohaha! I'm so proud. Next chapter (I think, remeber, all of this is spur of the moment) we will see what happened to Chirs and the first appearance of my new and improved Brotherhood! Oh, and I got a new machine. It's apparently called a Dijakno  
  
Dijakno: Most of the new X-Men were created by Chris Claremont and he was Canadian?  
  
Intake day was finally over, but we were worried about Chris still. His mutant abilities prevented him from feeling anything so he never had the desire to 'cater' to the rest of us, but that was dangerous, because he could get into trouble and not be aware of it.  
  
"So we're going out again to look for him?" Scott asked. He and Jean had been petioning me all day. At this point, no one had found any trace of him and Jean had locked herself in Cerebro, causing us all a great deal of annoyance.  
  
"You two can go if you want, but I can't send the old team out. It would be nice, but let's face it, you're younger than I am and your hair's graying already." I replied. Scott got the point. He left muttering.  
  
"What about the kids?" Logan asked. How he'd gotten in was beyond me.  
  
"I won't put them in danger when so few of them are properly trained." I replied.  
  
"You sound just like Chuck." Logan said. "Those kids need training, so send some one along and they'll get around fine."  
  
"I can't just plunge them into something like that. Besides, we know the Brotherhood's been recruiting, and-" Logan cut me off.  
  
"And you don't want to face your mom?" He asked. At that point my composure cracked.  
  
"Nein I don't! Would you?!" I realized too late that I had yelled, which happened seldomly.  
  
"Elf, no one's asking you to go. I meant me. Just felt like remindin' ya you're human too, even though you don't quite look it." He said. He left and I went back to staring out the window thinking.  
  
Wheeeeeeee! More! Isn't more fun? Neep! Kat has returned to her author and Beast has gone along. They should be arriving soon back at Retribution X. 


	22. The brotherhood

My muses went on break for a while, but Kurt is good naturedly helping me out.  
  
Kurt: You mean you tied me up and won't let me go on vacation.  
  
Karla: Well Brian's no help. He just mutters incoherently.  
  
Kurt: *sighs* Fine. What horror are we creating today?  
  
Karla: It won't be horrible if you'd cooperate!  
  
Kurt: *sighs*  
  
Karla: Besides, it's the first appearance of the Brotherhood.  
  
Logan had flown us out to where Jean said she had found Chris. We were not as well trained as I would have liked, but we were going to have to deal.  
  
Can everyone hear me okay? Fyerluna asked. I'd had her link the whole team but she wasn't very good at it yet. We all replied affirmatives.  
  
I want you to be on your guard. we detected other signatures in the area. Anything out of the ordinary is a potential threat. I cautioned.  
  
Ya, we know Nocturna. Triad replied with his always flipant nature.  
  
Just don't get yourself killed. These are the slums of New York. You can always get shot. I said.  
  
So she does learn! Cal commented.  
  
Bah. I'm always pessimistic. I replied.  
  
No you aren't. Blitz said.  
  
Sure I am. I just fake optimism. At that point, a lot of things happened really quickly.  
  
First, a giant bug appeared towering over the rooftops. Second, we were struck with abnormal fear. Third, Fyerluna (Rachel) blocked off whatever was psionically attacking us and finally, a team of mutants appeared.  
  
"Who are you people?!" I yelled.  
  
"No need to shout." A fire hydrant shifted into Mystique. "I can hear you quite well. These are the Brotherhood of Mutants."  
  
"Look, we just came to find one of our own, so give him back or-" I was cut off by a familiar voice.  
  
"Or what? You'll kill everybody here?" Chris asked snidely as ever. A wave of relief hit me, and I knew it wasn't my doing. Before I could do anything about it however, I was punched in the jaw. My team naturally sprang into action.  
  
Alumus threw balls of light at anyting thing that moved. They passed harmlessly through us, but hit the brotherhood full force. I quickly blinded them by deepening the shadows infront of their eyes. Blitz was scanning for the Lady Mastermind and Cal was protecting us from Chris' powers to warp emotions.  
  
"You think you can beat us that easily?" Mystique asked. She turned into some strang combination of Cal and Wolverine and used her claws to punch a hole in my back. I screamed and fell foward, losing my concentration on the Brotherhood's eyes, thus unblinding them. Triad was caught in the jaw battling a tall metal man. He jumped right back up and continued his effort. Cal ran to my aid, using her projection ability to dull the pain and close the wound. I could feel broken ribs, but I fought Mystique anyway.  
  
"You fight like a minx, but you're taking on a lion my dear!" She crowed. Something stirred in me then and I don't recall what happened next but when I came to, the Brotherhood was running screaming and I was lying on the ground like a discarded sock.  
  
"Did we win?" I asked, my voice weak.  
  
"Ya, we did Tal." Rachel replied. I made the mistake of trying to stand while she said this. I got as far as my elbows before my strength buckled and I fell back to the ground.  
  
"You did something weird kid, but it worked." Logan said as he picked me up.  
  
"If you hadn't of, we would be toast by now." Tobias added. I closed my eyes as I was lowered to a bed in the emergency infirmary to try and return my strength.  
  
So? Do you like it? If you want to know, the Brotherhood is composed of Lady Mastermind, Cascade, Mystique (as one of their adult mentors), Colossus (remeber him? He was an X-Man), and finally, Luna (the daughter of Quicksilver and Crystal, who I've given powers). 


	23. What happened?

Hehehehehehehehe! Two chapters at once! Aren't you all proud? I will get X-Factor going soon, I promise, but the Morlocks won't appear until chapter three. Okey Dokey?  
  
Kurt: Why don't you finish a story?  
  
Karla: Because they're sort of series' and comic book writes don't write all the comic books then publish them do they?  
  
Kurt: Well...  
  
Karla: See? If I'm going to work for Marvel some day, and become as great as Stan Lee, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum, who created you by the way, I'll need to get used to things.  
  
Kurt: Karla, do you expect me to believe he's a god?  
  
Karla: No, I expect you to believe they all are. Along with Alan Davis.  
  
Kurt: ...  
  
We're dead meat aren't we? Triad asked me privately. He'd heard my sister scream just like I had, but we were all rather tied up in individual battles.  
  
We aren't going to die. I replied. I wasn't sure of that myself, but I had to say something.  
  
Well... I guess we have to try. he said. The pause was him getting hit in the jaw.  
  
"Get out of here!" Nocturna, her voice different, forced us to obey. I turned to see what had happened to her.  
  
My sister had become a being of blackness that swirled around her, wilting every living thing she touched. Mystique barely escaped her grasp and ordered the Brotherhood to retreat. They ran, although Chris tried to face her. His features contorted as she grew closer and Colossus groabbed him out of the way. She fleshed out Lady Mastermind, who had been behind us, and when all was done, she fell in a heap on the ground reverting to her normal self.  
  
"Did we win?" she asked, barely able to speak.  
  
"Ya we did." Rachel was at her side. Talia attempted to sit up and I suppose ultimately to stand, but fell back.  
  
"You did something weird kid, but it worked." Logan picked her up gingerly.  
  
"If you hadn't of, we'd all be toast by now." Tobias said as we got back on the plane. Logan set Talia in a bed in the infirmary and she closed her eyes, soon falling asleep. Blitz stayed by her, concern plastered to her features.  
  
"Kid, do ya know what she did?" Logan asked me. I shook my head.  
  
"I've never seen her do anything like that before. Maybe her mutation is developing?" We'd seen that before. A empath slowly become a telepath as they matured, although not so spontaneously as what had just happened.  
  
"Nah, she hasn't changed. Must be somethin' else." he said. We flew on in silence for a few moments.  
  
"Is she going to be alright?" I asked.  
  
"We better hope so, otherwise, your dad'll have my head, and it won't be attached to the rest of me." Logan said simply.  
  
"Ouch. You could always grow a new one." I tried joking.  
  
"You've got the same flamin' sense o' humour as your dad." He replied shaking his head. I puffed out my chest a bit in mock superiority.  
  
"And is that so bad Lucky?" I asked. Jubilee used to call him that when she was far younger and higher spirited.  
  
"Grr, yer goin' ta regret that Kid." he grinned. It happened when I was younger. Dad usually left me in the care of Wolverine, claiming that anything that could survive him, probably wasn't going to come back anytime soon.  
  
"Sure... And I'll bet you're going to turn this plane right back around and-" He stopped me.  
  
"And make you walk." he said.  
  
Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe! Look at all the giggling! That's just 'cause Kurt's tickling me with his tail.  
  
Kurt: I am not.  
  
Karla: *giggling* You were!  
  
Kurt: I had to cheer up the only girl I know who looks more demonic than me.  
  
Karla: So you don't like the vampire fangs?  
  
Kurt: What do you think?  
  
Karla: I like them fine.  
  
Kurt: *sighs* 


	24. Um I can't remember

Okay, I'm sorry I was gone for a couple weeks. I got grounded because my sister talks on the phone too much and doesn't take beeps. (Mum and Dad thought it was me on the 'net). Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but it is unfortunately into small update season, so this could be it for a while. Never fear though, I will make things as interesting as possible.  
  
Kurt: You mean I will?  
  
Karla: No I mean me.  
  
Kurt: So you don't want my help?  
  
Karla: Yes! You're going to help aren't you?  
  
Kurt: Do I have a choice?  
  
Karla: What do you think?  
  
Kurt: ...  
  
Talia had been floating in and out of consciousness. Currently she was asleep still in the infirmary. It had been a day since she'd done... whatever it was she'd done and chased of the Brotherhood. Mikha- Mik, had left me alone and except for the humming of the equipment and the gentle but peircing 'BEEP' of the monitor, it was silent.  
  
My thoughts started to wander into strange territory. The fact that I relied on machines like this to survive. No one knew I couldn't take off my armor but me. -After all, I'd built it out of spare mechanical parts.- I thought grimly -I started with a broken toaster for God's sake!- I suppose I should back up.  
  
My power is to absorb and reconfigure mechanical/electronic devices to suit my needs. Unfortunately, to go along with this, I am severely anemic in that I have literally no iron in my blood. That means, for all you medical whizes, that I can't make my own hemoglobin and there for, I shouldn't be able to survive lacking the ability to transport oxygen to my muscles. The hospital lost a broken toaster, a baby moniter and an oxygen pump the day I was born.  
  
I liked my power anyway. Conceivably, I could create a nuclear warhead out of a television set. That was why the government looked me up. The chancellor at the time was on his last legs and I was his last project. Originally, I was to be some great weapon of war and mass destruction. Fortunately, a new chancellor took the old ones place and here I was, Blitzkreig.  
  
I suppose anyone would wonder why I had been pretending to be a man. That was easy. I've grown up a very Catholic girl. I keep a bible with me all the time. I've had it since before I can remember. At home in the East, I would have been shot for being myself (even though it is genetic) so my alternative was to be someone else. Of course I was afraid, so I told the only person who ever cared about me at all. It was accidental how she found out.  
  
I was praying for guidance, and she just happened to be in the same place at the same time, and recognized me. I took it as a sign and she... I don't know quite how she took it. I've never asked.  
  
"Lisa?" Talia floated back into consciousness. "Are you still here?"  
  
"Ja. I wouldn't leave you." I replied. She propped herself up on her elbows and then fell back.  
  
"Guess I'm not quite up to par." She smiled weakly.  
  
"Rest should cure that." I replied taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeaze.  
  
"Are you going back soon?" She asked.  
  
"I... I don't know. I want to stay, but my country-"  
  
"Needs you. I know. You always tell me that..." Talia trailed off, losing consciousness again.  
  
"She loves you. You know that much right?" Her father was standing at the door. I hung my head, eyes closed.  
  
"I'm sorry..." I couldn't choke anymore out. Silently I asked God why everyone hated me.  
  
I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. "What about? Blitz, you two obviously care deeply about each other. There's never anything wrong with that." He started to go.  
  
"My name... it's Lisa." I said looking up.  
  
"You've a very pretty name. My daughter has good taste." I blushed softly, going back to keeping my vigil.  
  
Neep! Yes, Blitz is formal. She just takes time to warm up to people is all. I'm not telling you what happened to Talia and I'm not putting in anything to do with X-Factor, although there is a huge Christmas special in the works. My readers are getting a BIG present. 


	25. I did this all at once

Okey dokey. This chapter was written on a huge Nightcrawler fix. I just got the movie verse Kurt action figure. I'm proud.  
  
A/N: I live in the middle of nowhere. Kurt and the other Marvel men and women, (but especially Kurt who is their god), live in a forest and sometimes pop by to see me. Kurt and Excalibur (his team in my opinion) were the best thing to happen to Marvel since Stan Lee (the supreme god of everything Marvel) and Jack Kirby.  
  
Karla: Shut up machine! *whaps it*  
  
Kurt: I like it!  
  
Brian: *mutters incoherently*  
  
"Tawie!" Gaea exclaimed wriggling out of Jamie's arms. He had come back from England claiming that the mansion was too lonely. Something else was wrong, but I didn't ask.  
  
"Careful Gaea!" he called lifting her gently off the floor with some unknown force. Blitz took her up on her lap absent-mindedly.  
  
Assured that she'd be fine, Jamie and I left Gaea with Blitz.  
  
"How are you taking everything?" Jamie asked me. "It's a lot to swallow isn't it?"  
  
I sighed. "Ja, but I've swallowed bitter pills before. One more won't hurt."  
  
"She might not wake up." Jamie said. He didn't sound like he was talking about whether or not she came around.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"Hunh? Oh, nothing important. Just... nothing." Jamie replied.  
  
"Somethings up. What is it?" I asked.  
  
"Mik, I can't tell you. Thing is, I'm pretty sure I know what happened to her, but I don't want to say because I don't want to believe it." He replied.  
  
"So if it is true we're left on our own and unprepared?" I asked. He stopped.  
  
"You would be, but I don't think it's true." He replied. After that he disappeared somewhere.  
  
"Secretive, as usual." An unfamiliar voice said behind me. It took me a second to realize it was Rachel.  
  
"Where'd you come from?" I asked.  
  
"Well, my mom and my dad loved each other a whole bunch and-" she began smiling. I cut her off.  
  
"Don't need to hear it!" I said.  
  
"I know. Just thought you could use some one to talk to." she replied. I snorted.  
  
"Un-hunh. I've heard it before. What do you want?" I asked.  
  
"To talk. He's right. You aren't handling this well, and you don't know why. You're going to have to talk to someone." She replied.  
  
"Who died and made you god?" I asked.  
  
"My mom, but that's beside the point. The point is, you need to talk to someone and if you're too pig headed to do it, I'll make you."  
  
"Nein you won't. I make my own desicions." I replied.  
  
"We'll see who comes crawling to whom." She said.  
  
Neep! So, any guesses who Rachel is, hm? Aw! Isn't Gaea cute? She's a sweetie. 


	26. And I'm too lazy to check what these wer...

I'm back! Everybody gets presents for being extra specially good while I was gone! I think all these chapters is a big present, but not THE big present you're all getting for Christmas.  
  
"What am I gonna do?" Jamie tipped the chair back, head resting in his right hand.  
  
"About what?" I asked. He had appeared in the rec. room from goodness knows where.  
  
"Amanda. I- she left me and I don't know why and I certainly don't know what to tell Gaea." He said.  
  
"The truth generally works." I tried to joke. He smiled grimly and shook his head.  
  
"This is so messed up. I can tell my daughter about death and disease and junk without a thought but I can't explain divorce?" he thought out loud.  
  
"Um, maybe that's because it's because she's only four years old." Mik was playing chess with me to get his mind off things. Over the past few days he seemed to have lightened up, but there was still a sort of gloom around him.  
  
"She can manipulate the world. I'm permanently sane because of her. I don't think that's exactly it." Jamie replied. He was chewing on his fingernail, a nervous habit he picked up from back in his 'gaming days'.  
  
"Maybe you're afraid she'll think it's her fault. That seems to be a common problem in your family." I said. He grinned.  
  
"And it's usually because an alternate version of me has been ravaging the countryside and the cityside too, and somehow it affects us here." he said.  
  
"And don't forget mixing in Saturnyne or Sat-yr-9 or which ever one of those it is." I joked.  
  
"And a healthy dose of the Lightning Squad." Jamie continued.  
  
"Does this mean they have children too?" Mik asked.  
  
"I hope not." Jamie said. He had begun watching our game and had also animated the pieces.  
  
Mik moved a pawn foward into danger from three other pieces. It moved back all on it's own and stuck it's tongue out at him. Mik moved him again but the same thing happened.  
  
"Jamie, want to explain this?" he asked finally exasperated after seven tries.  
  
"Sorry. I forgot to make them mindless." He replied. Mik moved it again and it stayed put. It battled a knight and lost in a very gory battle.  
  
"That was fun." Jamie said at the end of the game.  
  
"It was, but I think I've got blood in my fur now." Mik said. His fur had for some reason been golden.  
  
"Aw cheer up. It's not real." Jamie said. "I wouldn't do that."  
  
"Tawie's up! Tawie's up!" Gaea was running down the hall proclaiming that loud enough to wake the dead in China. She ran in and stopped out of breath in front of Mik. She reached her arms out trying to crawl into his lap. He picked her up using his tail.  
  
"She is?" he asked once she got her breath back.  
  
"Yup! Tawie's up. Weesa said to come get you." She replied.  
  
"Who?" Both he and Jamie were confused.  
  
"Blitz." She rarely changed her voice because it tired her out. I understood why she wouldn't say that still speaking toddler.  
  
"Well let's go give her a fit welcome." Mik said.  
  
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Hyper hyper hyper hyper! Aw! Gaea's so cute! 


	27. But this is the night of terrors

Okey Dokey, Talia's fine. Now we get to have some fun. Joy!  
  
I had gotten a welcome fit for a queen. Even Mik was happy I was awake and wasn't going to be passing out again.  
  
"Tawie!" Gaea cheered leaping onto my stomach through the use of her powers.  
  
"Aren't you getting a little big to be doing that?" Jamie asked. Gaea smirked.  
  
"Nope!" She said locking her arms around my neck.  
  
"Well I guess you haven't changed. how about some fun since you're here and things have been way too depressing lately, okay?" I asked her. She jumped up and down, unfortunately also on my stomach.  
  
"Yay! Fun fun fun!" She cried. Jamie used his own powers to lift her off me. Dad and the rest left leaving Lisa with me.  
  
"[She's cute.]*" she said as I got dressed.  
  
*A/N: Talia and Blitz are both German and have no need of speaking English, so guess what it's translated from okey dokey?  
  
"[I know. She's almost constantly happy. One day though, she'll grow up and turn into a teenage monster.]" I joked.  
  
"[Maybe she'll be well adjusted and happy.]" Lisa replied.  
  
"Nah." Simultaneously came from both of us.  
  
"[So what do you mean by fun?]" Lisa asked.  
  
"[I mean pulling pranks on Barbie and Ken.**]" I said.  
  
**A/N: I blatantly stole the nicknames for the good family Summers from Anything but Ordinary3's Retribution X.  
  
"[Hunh?]" She asked.  
  
"[I'll explain when everyone's together.]" I said.  
  
**************************************  
  
The Three Musketeers were gathered in the kitchen. The originals were me, Cal, Brittany and Gaea. I'd gotten Tobias and Lisa to join our little effort too, so we were one up.  
  
"Okay, I'll fill you in as quick as I can. Tobias and Lisa are our newbies, so they get to do the honours of pulling off the first prank tonight. First though, If you get caught, you're on your own. If you sell us out, you get to be a target and trust me, no one will have fun like that. Okey Dokey?" I explained.  
  
"Even me?" Lisa asked batting her eyelashes at me.  
  
"Ja, even you." I said smirking at the look of fakely wounded pride on her face.  
  
"I'm scared of you now." Tobias joked.  
  
"Well then I've accomplished my mission." I replied just as jokingly. "Now we get to swear you in."  
  
"Swear us in?" Both asked.  
  
"Just to make sure you follow our code. First things first. Cal, get the ceremonial drink." I said. She went out and came back with a couple of cans of Wolverine's Canadian beer.  
  
"Here we are. Now Gaea, is everything set?" I asked.  
  
"Yup!" She paused and yawned.  
  
"To bed with you then. Scoot!" I said. She scooted.  
  
"Okay, who's first?" Cal asked. Tobias gingerly agreed. The beer was poured into shot glasses.  
  
"This is a very unscientific way to see how much alcohol you can tolerate. Start drinking and we'll see how many shots you can get down. If you can take it all, we don't tease you. If you can't, then we get to laugh." I explained. Tobias gulped.  
  
"I don't know. This might be a bit too much..." he began.  
  
"Chicken!" Cal cried. "Told you he'd chicken out of it!"  
  
Right then and there Tobias downed the first shot. He sputtered and coughed. "Damnit! What's in that?"  
  
"It's Canadian beer. Molsen's if you must know." I said. He began to down the rest.  
  
He finished all the shots and we poured out anoter can for Lisa. I'd seen her drink before once when we were drinking to see who could last longer. She won.  
  
She downed the first round and then just took the can and gulped. "More?" She asked.  
  
"Okay, that's that. Let us now begin the pranks." I said  
  
*****************************************  
  
We stumbled upstairs to the Summers' room and put our plan into action.  
  
"Ooooh!" I heard Lisa exclaim giggling. "Fish tank!"  
  
Gaea's addition to our plan had been to somehow turn the shower stall into a fish tank with a note saying, 'We the ghosts of Ororo's gold fishes past have come to haunt you. Surrender or die in obscurity.'  
  
I had a good laugh about the last bit. It came from FF Tactics. Gaea found it immensely funny that Ramza actually threatens people with that line.  
  
"Let's get the rest." Cal was the least drunken of us.  
  
I set some Play Girl Magazines (curtesy of Cal) in Scotts sock drawer with some 'used' condoms. Lisa put hair removal treatment in Jean's shampoos and pink hair dye in Scott's. Tobias had the best though. He cut up Captain Canada's porn and scattered it liberally everywhere.  
  
"Rampaging again?" I heard a voice. It took my drunken brain a few minutes to realize it came from the door. It took even longer to figure out who it was.  
  
"How did you know?" I asked with my best evil genius accent.  
  
"Four girly giggles and the pattering of foot steps to Barbie and Ken's lair." He replied.  
  
"I'm not as thinkly as you girl I am!" Tobias said. He wasn't used to the abuse we put our selves through and the thought crossed my mind that we could knock him out with child's aspirin although I didn't know how we were going to throw it at him hard enough.  
  
"Really? I was going to ask you two to leave me and Kurt alone, but I don't really have to worry I guess. Speaking of which, they're all grown up." Jamie told us. He left where ever.  
  
Lisa had become bored and in so doing was jumping on the bed. Tobias was trying not to throw up and Cal was laughing at him.  
  
"That's the room done. Now the class rooms. Remember, don't touch the friendlies. We need those." Friendlies was a term for demons who helped you out. Or teachers.  
  
"Gotcha Frau Boss lady." Lisa had been drinking all night and claimed she was starting to feel something that might be drunkenness.  
  
**********************************  
  
We stumbled around to everybody's classes. Of course Barbie and Ken got the best treatment. Porn in the folders, glue on chairs, tacks on chairs, glue on chalkboards. Ah the uses you can find for glue when you can't think straight!  
  
"Look at me guys!" Lisa crowed. She was in the completely ridiculous Chiquita banana girl outfit Jean had worn on Halloween last year, dancing (well, flailing, but she was trying!) with eggs on top of her head. She promptly fell over and the eggs shattered.  
  
"Oh gross!" She exclaimed. The eggs were the from Hank's science class in the next room. They'd been soaking in vinegar for weeks. We set the dress with them and scrawled a note from Scott appologising for his poor use of them and saying they didn't last very long.  
  
Giggling madly at our handywork, we pinched some tequila off our good pal Remy, who wouldn't miss it anyway... we hoped.  
  
Next on the night of terrors, The Drinking Game! 


	28. This is more of the night of terrors

Oh, man. Five chapters! I might do something for Halloween at some point, but I'm not sure exactly what. I would also like to say that there's more than just Gaea for munchkins at the institute. There are actually quite a few who we will meet later.  
  
Kurt: A drinking game? Aren't you too young for that?  
  
Karla: I'm sixteen. Not quite old enough, but I'm doing it because it's funny for the sober people to watch.  
  
Brian: *muttering incoherently*  
  
Karla: And the not so sober. Anyway, don't rain on my parade or I'll put you in the vacuum cleaner.  
  
Kurt: ... *monotonous* I'm terrified.  
  
Karla: Good.  
  
In our drunken state of mind, it seemed like a good idea. I'll bet you know a lot of things like that. A drinking game seemed like a good way to celebrate not getting caught.  
  
"So what song will we be 'singing'?" Cal asked. She still wasn't drunk but we would change that.  
  
"The song the possessed lamb sings with that mental patient." I replied.  
  
"Lamb Chop." Lisa said.  
  
"I'm not cooking right now." I replied to her. To the rest, "it goes {this is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friend, some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because} and it repeats."  
  
"Lamb Chop." Lisa said more urgently.  
  
"Tommorow then. Come on and sing with us." I replied. Then a thought struck me. She was a vegetarian.  
  
"Why do you want lamb chops anyway?" I asked.  
  
"No, Lamb Chop is the name of that possessed puppet." She explained that like I was two.  
  
"Oh. I was worried there for a second. Okey dokey, pour the tequila!" I exclaimed. Cal being the most sober and therefore most dextrous, filled the shots. We began to sing.  
  
"{This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my mutants-} That's not right..." Tobias was the first to have to down one.  
  
"{Some people started singing it not caring what-} Ah damn." I went next, although I think I went on purpose.  
  
"{It was, and they'll continue singing it because Charlie X told them to subliminally!} Wheeeeeeeeee!" Cal was finally drunk and trying to make all of us laugh.  
  
"{And we were dumb enough to listen!}" Lisa finished. "Let's play strip poker!"  
  
"Oh no, you can't search me! I've got rights an' stuff!" Tobias exclaimed.  
  
"Fetch the polaroid! I want to capture this!" I declared, nearly falling off the couch. Lisa and Cal promptly began giggling.  
  
"Talia can't stand uh-up! Talia can't stand uh-up!" They crowed.  
  
"Wait a second, she's lying down!" Lisa made that realisation after a few minutes.  
  
"I'm flying damnit!" I replied, flailing my arms to prove it and actually and falling this time. I heard sarcastic clapping, scrambled up and bowed again losing my balance and falling headlong into the floor. More sarcastic clapping followed and so the process was repeated until Lisa took pity on me and decided she would be more comfortable in my lap.  
  
"Cookies!" Tobias cried out trying to stand. "We must have cookies!"  
  
"And muffins!" Cal added.  
  
"Kitchen raid!" I exclaimed.  
  
Okay, it's almost the end of the Night of Terrors. Next is a Halloween episode and then something for Christmas, okey dokey? 


	29. And this is the end of the fun part of t...

I'm back! It's the final bit of the Night of Terrors. Next chapter is for Halloween.  
  
We slunk into the kitchen as stealthily as four drunken teenagers could. We were giggling in spasmodic bursts because everytime someone shushed us, we began giggling at that.  
  
"Oooooooh! Light!" Lisa exclaimed opening the fridge.  
  
"Cookies?" Tobias asked.  
  
"Muffins?" Cal asked.  
  
"Potato salad." Lisa replied giggling madly at the looks she was given.  
  
"Where do the cookies live?" Tobias was the first to stop giggling with us.  
  
"Cupboard." I said through the giggles. He opened every door in the kitchen then went back to the first one and got the cookies out.  
  
"I hope yer planin' ta close those," came a growl from the door.  
  
"Run!" I exclaimed. Cal ran outside followed Lisa and I and Tobias with the cookies. Captain Canada growled and started closing cupboards shaking his head.  
  
"So what are we gonna do?" Tobias asked. "We're out in the cold and the wet and we're hungry and we can't go back in there-"  
  
"It's not cold or wet and we have cookies." I said.  
  
"We'll have to forge for food and-" he continued.  
  
"We have cookies." I said.  
  
"And we'll starve and freeze and they'll find teenage mutant X-cicles in the morning-" he kept going on like that until Cal stuffed a cookie down his throat.  
  
"COOKIE! How I've missed you!" He cried.  
  
"He's gone crazy!" I declared.  
  
"I second that!" Lisa exclaimed, again giggling madly.  
  
"Does anyone think they can make it to bed?" Cal asked us.  
  
"Why?" came a unanimous reply.  
  
"Sun's coming up." She replied.  
  
"Aw damn. The Musketeers are triumphant another night and must return to our boring lives." I said. Cal got Tobias to bed and went herself. Lisa and I out of sheer drunkeness colapsed in one of our rooms, no idea which, and went to sleep.  
  
Okey dokey, how did you like the Night of Terrors? Kudos to Anything but Ordinary3 for giving me the inspiration for Gaea's addition. 


	30. One of these is Crime and Punishment

Neep! It's almost Halloween! It's the only day of the year when I look normal. Oh well.  
  
I woke up with warm breath on my neck and an arm across my stomach. My first reaction was 'Run!' but it was quickly forced out by my second.  
  
-Damn you light!- I thought shuting my eyes tightly against it.  
  
"Mmmm..." Lisa was just waking up, headache free apparently.  
  
"[Are you awake?]" she whispered in my ear.  
  
"[No.]" I replied. She poked me and giggled. She went to get dressed then went back to poking me and giggling until I got up.  
  
"[Why are you waking me up at such an early hour?]" I asked. My head ached like crazy and the light streaming in the window didn't help.  
  
"[It's lunch time.]" She replied, with a grin that would put the cheshire cat to shame.  
  
"[Bah. It's early in California.]" I said fumbling my way around looking for clothes.  
  
"[But we're in New York and it's lunch time here.]" She said. We continued like that until we got downstairs.  
  
Tobias and Cal were at the kitchen table looking sullen and kind of dejected. I attributed that to hangovers but it wasn't.  
  
"We're in trouble." Cal said.  
  
"Big trouble." Tobias added.  
  
"What'd we do?" I asked, oh so innocently.  
  
Mikheal cleared his throat and began listing. "The shower, the sock drawer, the shampoo, the hair dye, the... porn?... And that's just what you did to Scott and Jean, not to mention the classrooms! You're in huge trouble!"  
  
"Why?" Lisa asked barely keeping a straight face.  
  
"Dad caught you. He used that image inducer thing to spy on you." Mik explained.  
  
"Damn," came a unanimous reply.  
  
"So we're in more trouble than we've ever been in before?" I asked. Mik nodded smugly. "Bah."  
  
****************************************  
  
After lunch, we were summoned to the study. Dad was sitting behind the desk looking deep in thought. Lisa and Tobias were nervous as all get out. Cal just stood bored and me... I didn't know quite what to do besides take Lisa's hand reassuringly.  
  
"I'm disappointed in you all. You four know that right?" Dad began. Muttered 'yes sirs' came from us. "You completely disregarded more rules than I can concievably punish you for disregarding. You're all under age-"  
  
"I'm not." Lisa decided to be brave and make the first of the liberally scattered comments that would break up this little speech.  
  
"You are. Twenty-one is legal drinking age here." Dad replied then continued, "You involved an impressionable child in your little romp. We'll never get that shower back to normal. That and Jean is now locked in the bathroom and Scott has hot pink hair."  
  
At that point we began laughing. Gaea had done one other thing for us and that was to set up cameras at various stations to catch everyone's looks. I couldn't wait to see those.  
  
"Stop laughing. You stole tequila from Remy when you finished with the beer you took from Logan. You destroyed Scott's classroom and quite possibly his relationship with Jean-"  
  
"Wait a second. That's a good thing." Cal this time.  
  
"No it isn't." Dad said and then back to the speech. "Do any of you have anything to say for yourselves?"  
  
He looked at us all disprovingly. Tobias was the first to speak up. "In my defense, I was drunk and it was fun."  
  
"And I'm with him." Lisa said.  
  
"Me too." I added.  
  
"Me three." Cal said.  
  
"Good to know you're all together in your fun, because you're going to be all together in your punishment too." Dad said.  
  
"We aren't going to have to clean everything up are we?" Lisa asked.  
  
"Sh! Don't give him any ideas!" I whispered loudly in her ear. She giggled.  
  
"That tickles! Do it again!" she said. Dad cleared his throat.  
  
"I think that means leave the PDA for later." Cal said.  
  
"It is not PDA." Lisa said pouting.  
  
"Girls." Dad said shuting us all up. "Now, you're apparently well organized, so you're going to plan and supervise a Halloween party for the children. And all four of you are grounded. Finally, if I catch you into any kind of alcoholic beverage, I'll devise something so horrible that you won't ever want to within ten feet of any drink ever again, let alone alcohol."  
  
"That doesn't sound so terrible..." Tobias began. He looked at the death glares he was given. "What?"  
  
"The kids that stay here aren't all like Gaea. Most are royal pains who think they can do what ever they want." I explained.  
  
"Good to see you think the same way about them as I do about you right now. Calisto, Tobias, you can go. I need to talk to these two." Dad said.  
  
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee! No, this doesn't mean the Three Musketeers will stop with their joyful romps. It's only the begining! 


	31. But it could be this one

Woohahaha! I'm hyper now! Hyper hyper hyper hyper!  
  
Kurt: I knew we shouldn't of let her have any sugar.  
  
Jamie: What's wrong with her and sugar?  
  
Karla: Did you know with author powers I can turn myself into a Wingly?!  
  
Kurt: That's why. Can you turn back?  
  
Karla: Um... does it really matter?  
  
Kurt: ...  
  
"What is it?" I asked Dad. He motioned for us both to sit down.  
  
"It's not last night is it?" Lisa asked.  
  
"It is and it isn't." He sighed. Obviously, whatever he was trying to ask us was particularly difficult.  
  
"You want to know if we... how should I put this delicately... were um... sleeping together?" Lisa said. Normally very candid she managed to tone down what she was trying to say.  
  
"I want to know why it should matter. We care about each other, we're legal age, we know how to protect ourselves... Why do you care?" I said. Stupid comment and I knew it as soon as I said it.  
  
"Talia, you're my daughter. I know I'm not horribly discreet, but that's for your sake and mine. Talia, you've only been here a year, and you did grow up in a demonic limbo, but still I care about what happens to you and I won't stand it if you get hurt." Dad said.  
  
"You have permission to hurt me if I ever hurt her." Lisa said smiling.  
  
"Better get that in writing..." Dad was back to joking with us.  
  
"If we're grounded, how are we going to see each other?" Lisa asked.  
  
"I can't very well ground you from each other. I just wanted to know how... close you two were." Dad replied.  
  
"Um... if it's any condolences, I'm pretty sure I'm still Catholic and I'm also pretty sure I'm going straight to hell in a handbasket, but if it helps-"  
  
"Lisa, you're babbling." I said. She wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Bah. I'll babble all I want. It excercises my jaw." She replied.  
  
"Alright girls, go plan with everyone else." Dad said.  
  
Okey dokey, if you're wondering what a wingly is, they're from Legend of Dragoon, an RPG for the Playstation. They're kind of like angels and they have blue hair. 


	32. This is a badly written filler

I haven't managed to change myself back yet. Jamie and Rachel and Shana and Albert are all working on it. Allistaire is studying the whole phenomenon. Here marks the end of the angst (sort of) and the begining of the humour.  
  
"So what'll we do for the little brats?" Cal asked. She and Talia had been refering to the younger residents of the institute as brats all day and I was starting to get lost.  
  
"They're only children aren't they?" I asked. Talia took my hand as a concerned parent would when teaching their child to cross the street.  
  
"Let me show you the little brats." She said. She led me to another wing of the school which I had never been in. At first I heard silence. Talia edged in like she was stepping into a room full of sleeping rabid dogs on nothing but a fraying rope.  
  
"I don't see what you find so wrong here." The words were no sooner out of my mouth then a water balloon hit me in the face exploding. Electricity surged through me and I knew something had short circuted. Thanks to years of training, I didn't panic. Thanks to those same years however, I did get extremely angry.  
  
"Are you okay?" Talia asked. She knew I was deathly afraid of water. My power kept me alive, but it also made it difficult to stand in the rain.  
  
"I'm okay, I just need some new parts." I replied. Talia smiled at our little inside joke. Meanwhile one of the kids in the wing swung from the ceiling on a telekinetic rope. Talia grabbed her out of the air and set her down.  
  
"Not today Mini-me." She said setting the little girl down. The girl promtly ran off sounding like a wild animal.  
  
"Are they all like that?" I asked.  
  
"She's a huntress. She grew up in the jungle and the best she can do with any human language is a few words to get her point across." Talia explained.  
  
"She can talk to animals though." I said.  
  
"Yes she can. They help her a lot, and with a little training, she could end up on our team in a few years." Talia replied.  
  
We continued on our journey and still more seemed to crawl out of the wood work. A little boy named Cypher very nearly made us forget who and what we were. Another little girl named Plasma caused the hall to go completely dark and a bright light to flash in our eyes.  
  
Gaea was who Talia was looking for and she found her alone in a small play room manipulating a racing game of some kind so that she could play four players at once.  
  
"Daddy's mad at me." She said pointedly, presumably to Talia.  
  
"I'm sorry." She replied. "I didn't want to get you in trouble."  
  
"I got in it anyway." She said. She quit her game and dug in her little kit bag. Extracting a little envelope she gave it to Talia.  
  
"I got the pictuwes fow you." Gaea was a more than a little sad. She was only four and already she was starting to get angry with the world.  
  
"Gaea, you have no idea how much this means to me, and I'm sorry I got you in trouble. I got in trouble too if it makes you feel any better." Talia said. The younger girl had tears starting to bead in her eyes which Talia didn't seem to notice. She walked out with the pictures.  
  
"Are you okay?" I asked Gaea, knowing full well the answer. She sniffled.  
  
"Daddy's mad at me and Mommy hasn't come home yet." She said.  
  
"Do you know why?" I asked. This was more serious than just getting caught for something all kids are bound to do.  
  
"Daddy said Mommy had to go away for a while. He says it's because Mommy doesn't wuv him any more." Gaea replied. I sat against a wall and she crawled into my lap.  
  
"But your mommy still loves you doesn't she?" I asked. She sniffled again.  
  
"I-" She choked a little and started to cry as only little kids can. She sat there for quite some time and the most I could do was just to hug her and try to soothe her as best I could. The thing is, I'm a firm believer in 'If you're happy smile, if you're sad cry.'  
  
Eventually she stopped and a box of tissues appeared out of thin air. I took the cue and dried her eyes. She sniffled again and hugged me.  
  
"You'd be a good mommy." She said.  
  
Aww! Yup, you may now cower in fear of the excessive amounts of sap. Man, hundreds of trees must have come down to coat this chapter in so much. Next we will see the pictures and we will start planning the party. 


	33. And this had better be the results

Okey Dokey! A joyful event has occured! *squeal* My sister is joining FFnet! *waves flags, party appears* Her name is Summersgirl and yes sadly she does mean Scott. *shiver* She still torments Jean though!  
  
Kurt: I thought you hated your sister.  
  
Karla: So?  
  
Kurt: Why are you happy she's on this then?  
  
Karla: She's my sister.  
  
Kurt: Your point?  
  
Karla: Why are you complaining?! Enjoy the party that appeared out of nowhere.  
  
Brian: *spiking the punch*  
  
I made my way back to eveyone else. Talia was waving the little envelope around like a mad woman trying to keep it out of the hands of Cal and Tobias.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked in my best little kid voice.  
  
"Lisa! Where've you been? And why's your shoulder wet?" Talia teleported down to me.  
  
"The Ewoks* were particularly bored and I had to run to make it out of their wing alive. As for my shoulder, Gaea was crying on it." I explained.  
  
*A/N: Forgive us George Lucas for we have a great many times been blashphemous and soiled your great trilogy...  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you there." Talia said. Perking up she continued, "These are the pictures!"  
  
"We've been trying to get her to let us see them for so long it's not funny." Cal said.  
  
"Hey! One for all and all for one. We laugh together, okey dokey?" Talia asked. The rest of the Musketeers agreed. Gaea had seen the pictures already and had her own problems, so she decided to stay in her wing.  
  
"Okay, first picture. Blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind." Talia said. She showed us a picture of the pink haired Scott. He was smiling in the mirror and running his fingers through his hair. He liked it.  
  
"Damn." All four of us said.  
  
"Okay, that was a wash. Let's try this one." She pulled out another. Jean was staring aghast in the mirror and she looked like she was screaming because I had mixed up the hair removal treatment with hair growth treatment and now Jean looked like Cousin It.  
  
"Ah! It's Big Foot!" Tobias exclaimed, diving under the chair.  
  
"The mop dog!" Cal said.  
  
"The wig her ego wears!" I blurted.  
  
"Close encounters with the hairy kind!" Talia finished. "Next!"  
  
She pulled out a picture of Scott looking into his sock drawer. Gaea had found fit to take several pictures and so we got the full reaction. He threw out the 'used' condoms picked up the magazine and began to drool.  
  
"Ew!" Tobias blurted.  
  
"Maybe he hasn't eaten in a while?" Talia said.  
  
"That's not a cook book..." I trailed off.  
  
"He likes them! He really likes them!" Cal said.  
  
Next was Wolverine's face upon seeing his porn cut up and scattered everywhere. Definitely an angry face, but at a distance really funny.  
  
"When Prunes attack!" Tobias naturally.  
  
"Elvis smiling!" Talia said.  
  
"It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Super Ugly!" Cal exclaimed.  
  
"Senior People's sexiest man alive!" I blurted, playing on the magazine title.  
  
"Ew!" Came the unanimous response.  
  
"We'll get to be there when they see what happened to the class rooms. I can't wait." Talia said.  
  
Whoohaha! Grounding's finished! I get to go back on the net!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kurt: That's an excessive amount of exclaimation marks isn't it?  
  
Karla: But I'm really happy! *squeals*  
  
Kurt: Never do that again.  
  
Karla: Why?  
  
Kurt: You've defeaned the readers. 


	34. Gaea's other powers

Wheeeeeee! This is so many chapters that haven't been reviewed and I thrive on reviews, but it's a drought and I'm grounded. It's over soon.  
  
"So you guys are having a party for the little brats?" Rachel laughed at us loudly when we explained what we needed her to do for us.  
  
"You could've been in on it. You never asked." I said. She looked at me like I was remedial or something.  
  
"Who said anything about me wanting to pull stunts like that on my own parents?" She said.  
  
"Your parents?" I asked a little shocked. It made sense sure, but I didn't think Scott and Jean were smart enough to procreate.  
  
"You turned my mother into... something and my father will have to spend a lot of money to replace those magazines you cut up." Rachel said.  
  
"Logan's making Scott pay for them?" I began to laugh and she cut me off.  
  
"He's paying for them himself." She said.  
  
"Just like one and one makes four?" I asked. She snorted.  
  
"First, one pair of shoes and one pair of shoes makes four shoes, second, Scott is in no way related to me. Third, I don't like you or the way you do things, so go away." she said. I left and went to tell the others we'd have no help from her.  
  
***********************  
  
"Oooooooooh. Now I'm going to be lonely!" Lisa exclaimed.  
  
"What about me?" I asked, mocking shock.  
  
"Why does everyone sound drunk?" Cal asked.  
  
"Maybe they have a hidden stock-pile." Tobias replied.  
  
"Cookies?" Lisa and I asked simultaneously.  
  
"Yummy!" We heard behind us. Gaea launched herself at me just as I turned around.  
  
She began to look for cookies and then decided her search was futile. As such she jumped from me to Lisa.  
  
"You're back!" she exclaimed hugging her. Gaea hugged back and then got up on the table.  
  
"Okey Dokey, Daddy says we gots a party to plan. Dat means me too right?" Gaea asked, standing on a cereal box.  
  
"You go organize your troops Gaea. We'll do our best." I said. She started to jump and then fell flat on the edge of the table.  
  
"Gaea?!" I asked horrified. Lisa examined her carefully.  
  
"She'll be fine, but I don't know why she fell. Any ideas?" Lisa became suddenly business like.  
  
"Maybe a vision?" I asked. "She gets them sometimes regardless of where she is."  
  
Lisa thought that over and it seemed to satisfy her logic. Tobias raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Vision?" he asked once we had laid Gaea in the infirmary.  
  
"She gets visions of things that are happening. Sometimes they're in other worlds, sometimes in the future, sometimes it's the past sometimes no one knows what it is, but they take her over completely and she just sort of... stops." I explained.  
  
"I thought you said that she can see the threads, like her father." he said.  
  
"She can, but since she's also Amanda's daughter, she inherits a certain amount of magical ability. Hence, she get's visions." I tried to explain further, but Gaea began to yell in her sleep.  
  
"No! Brinny don' go! Fwy Brinny, fwy!" Why was she talking about Brittany?!  
  
"Talia?" Lisa asked gently. She reached over and laid a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"It's not her fault. She doesn't know what she's saying." I replied. "Besides, we have a party to plan."  
  
Okey Dokey. Want to know what Gaea's talking about? Take a look at her story, Children of the X. 


	35. I think this is the halloween party

Okay, I haven't given up on you my friendly X-readers and fellow True Believers. I've just been trying to pass a math class. Anyway, I'm back for a little while and in the summer there will be a crazy amount of updates because i lack a life. Anyway, I'm still doing my Halloween thing and the big present I promised will be sometime around Easter.  
  
"Okay, now all we need to do is keep them entertained, fed and happy. Got it?" Talia asked.  
  
"You make it sound so easy..." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"It's not that hard. And strong mental shields everybody. Cypher can really get to you sometimes." Talia explained.  
  
"Cypher?" Tobias asked.  
  
"His mutant power is to make you forget and 'remember' things. Comes in handy in a battle if the villans can't remeber who they're fighting or why." Talia explained.  
  
"Lovely." Cal was leaning against the door frame, eager to get this done and over.  
  
"Oh, and don't provoke Huntress. She's still a bit feral sometimes and the other munchkins defend her like geese." Talia said.  
  
"Geese?" we all asked confused.  
  
"They protect the ones that get sick on the migration by staying with them to keep away predators." Talia explained.  
  
"Okay, so what do we do now?" I asked.  
  
"I have food in the form of chips and as much as I hate to do it, pop and other sugary stuff. First though, we're going to take them trick or treating."  
  
"How do we do that if we're grounded?" Tobias asked.  
  
"Easy." Talia replied and she explained her plan to us.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
"Yay! Twick owr tweating!" Gaea exclaimed.  
  
"Yup! And we're going to take you guys upstairs to torment the adults." Talia said. Lots of giggling was done by everyone.  
  
We dressed them in their costumes. Gaea was Cinderella, Cypher was dressed as what could only have been Hugh Heffner, Huntress was an amazon queen of some sort and Plasma was dressed as Talia because it was the only thing that went with her uniform. Speaking of Plasma, she's albino and so is constantly covered because the slightest bit of light burns her skin.  
  
"Everybody ready?" I asked. They nodded, grins on their faces. "Okay, pick a partner and we're off!"  
  
Okay, I know. Short for an update but I'm working on a new story, which is really a continuation of this one, and this has four more chapters or so. 


	36. I'm pretty sure this involves trick or t...

Okey Dokey! I've got a new chapter! We will be following the munchkins around on their various misadventures for a while and it's possible that I'll wirte a spin off starring them...  
  
"So Gaea, where to first?" I asked. She was actually the more docile of the feared four.  
  
"Let's go see Daddy!" She exclaimed. She promtly ran off down the hall, skirt flying out behind her. I ran after her but bumped into Rachel.  
  
"Having fun?" She asked, smugness plastered all over her face.  
  
"If I answer yes, will you devise something more horrible and crazy than this?" I asked looking up innocently. She sneered and walked on. I continued after Gaea.  
  
When I caught up to her she knocked on the door to Jamie's room.  
  
"Gaea! I thought you were at the party..." He said upon opening the door.  
  
"Twick owr tweat!" She exclaimed smiling brightly.  
  
"So this is our punishment?" Jamie asked looking at me. I grinned.  
  
"Talia thought it might be more interesting if we took them trick or treating, but then we realized that we were grounded so this is the result." I replied.  
  
"So we have Kurt to blame for this?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah basically." I shruged.  
  
"Candy?" Gaea asked hopefully.  
  
"Why not an apple?" Jamie asked, creating one from nowhere. Gaea wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Okay, a candy apple, but just because you're cute when you do that." he said, changing the apple. "Just don't get it stuck in your hair."  
  
"Okey dokey!" Gaea dropped the apple in her bag and scampered off down the hall.  
  
She knocked on the next door which just happened to be Logan's.  
  
"Twick owr tweat!" Gaea exclaimed giggling. She had excellent reason. Logan's mutton chops were apparently not gelled into place and even I couldn't hold back the laughter.  
  
"What're you to doing? Yer looking fer candy?" He was slightly intoxicated and I presumed that he was going to get drunker.  
  
"Yup!" Gaea was bouncing on her toes, eyes bright.  
  
"Er... I think Scott might have some..."  
  
"I thought you were a wolverine not a weasel! Can't you see the poor girl needs sugary sustanence? How's she going to survive with out candy?" As I was saying this, Gaea was getting ready to spout tears.  
  
"Aw now don't go crying kid. Here ya go." Logan rumaged a bit and found-  
  
-Pixie Stix?!  
  
"Yay!" Gaea bounded off cheerfully. I followed and we were at the door to Barbie and Ken's lair.  
  
Gaea knocked on the door cautiously. Dual 'I'll get it's were heard.  
  
"Hi Gaea. What can we do for you?" Scott had apparently won the race to the door.  
  
"Twick owr tweat!" She was very happy from all the pixie stix and I feared what would happen if she by some chance ate them all herself.  
  
"Oh that's right! It's halloween!" Scott said in a very fake way. He disappeared into the room and I heard Jean 'sneaking' to the front door.  
  
"Boo!" She exclaimed, dressed in a sheet. I think she was trying for ghost. Operative word here: Trying.  
  
Gaea good naturedly looked shocked. Jean giggled, a sound I never want to hear again, and dropped some candy into Gaea's bag.  
  
"Well that was interesting." I mumbled when I was sure she was out of earshot. Gaea giggled and skipped away.  
  
"Lisa!" Kurt answered the door to the study.  
  
"Twick owr tweat!" Gaea exclaimed brightly.  
  
"You took them trick or treating?" he asked.  
  
"Yes we did. What's wrong with that?" I asked.  
  
"I thought I told you to have a party with them."  
  
"We're doing that after we sugar-load them." I replied smiling.  
  
"Wonderful." Kurt smiled slightly and I did my best to look innocent. He dropped some candy in Gaea's bag and away she skipped.  
  
"Okay Gaea, back to the party." I said. She followed me off to the common room for the little ones.  
  
Okay, that was actually longer than I planned. I'm proud. 


End file.
